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JOSEPH  THE  SEER; 


-:HIS  :- 


PROPHETIC  MISSION  VINDICATED, 

AND  THE 

9pi§ipl  of  the 
DEFENDED    AND    MAINTAINED; 

L7,V    MS    OT    O?  -:  BEING  :- 

A    REPLY    BY    ELDER    WILLIAM    W.    BLAIR, 

Of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day  Saints, 

TO    ELDER   WILLIAM    SHELDON 

Of  the  Second  Adventist  Society. 

(REVISED  EDITION). 


LAMONI,  IOWA:    . 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  BOARD  OP  PUBLICATION  OF  THE  REORGANIZED  CHURCH  OF 

JESUS  CHRIST  OF  LATTER  DAY  SAINTS. 

1889. 


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BANCROFT 
LIBRARY 


PREFACE. 


THE  severe  trials  to  which  the  truth  of  God  has  been  subjected  in  all  the 
r—  past,  have  always  resulted  well  in  bringing  its  high  importance,  its 
Jr-  essential  impregnability,  and  its  perpetual  beauties  into  clearer,  grander 
y  light,  disclosing  more  plainly  its  deep,  and  broad  and  immovable  foun- 
-  dations.  They  have  also  resulted  well  in  revealing  the  dark  and  delusive 

ways  of  error,  ways  so  common  to  the   conceited,  the  self-sufficient,  and 

the  bigot  who,  with  blind  heart  and  clamorous  tongue  or  pen,  would 
^  compel  all  others  into  their  mazy  lines  of  thought  and  their  devious  and 

inconsistent    modes    of   religious,    moral,   social    and    scientific    conduct. 

Truth  gains  and  error  loses  in  every  fairly  conducted  conflict. 

Such,  we  trust,  will  be  the  ultimate  fruits  of  the  recent  malevolent 

attack  of  Rev.  William  Sheldon  upon  the  faith  and  doctrines  of  the  Lat- 
C/i  ter  Day  Saints  to  which  we  reply  in  the  following  pages.  Truth  will 

prevail. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  in  his  arguments,  draws  heavily  on  various  anti-Mor- 
_j  mon  writers,  from  Howe  to  Ann  Eliza.  From  these  he  takes  his  cue, 
Q  and  frOm  their  productions  he  obtains  his  chief  enlightenment  and  his 
^  loftiest  inspirations;  yet,  notably,  he  fails  to  give  them  their  proper. cred- 
2£  its.  This  literary  piracy  will  be  found  quite  in  keeping  with  the  general 
^  tenor  of  his  work  as  we  proceed. 

It  will  also  be  seen  that  he  is  a  prince  among  cavilers,  and  that  he  is 

L_ 

Lu     as  feeble  in  his   sophisms  as  he  is  fertile  in  invention.    He  builds,  with 
<C     affected  seriousness,   his   men-of-straw ;    and  then,  with    with  self-compla- 
cency topples  them  over  and  applauds  himself  for  decisive  victories. 

He  attempts,  with  persistent  zeal,  to  make  the  Book  of  Mormon  and 
the  Inspired  Translation  claim  for  themselves  what  they  do  not  claim, 
viz.,  that  all  their  historical  and  epistolary  parts  were  written  with  un- 
erring precision  and  infallible  accuracy,  and  under  the  fullest  and  high- 
est measure  of  inspiration;  but  in  this  attempt  he  fails  miserably. 

He  seeks  to  force  upon  the  standard  writings  of  the  church  such  sense 


IV  PREFACE. 

and  meaning  as  are  utterly  foreign  and  contrary  to  them;  and  this  he 
does  evidently  with  the  base  purpose  of  making  them  appear  false  and 
contradictory. 

We  regret  that  Mr.  Sheldon  has  quoted  our  works  so  inaccurately,  and 
that  he  has  cited  passages  so  incorrectly ;  for  it  tends  to  perplex  the  reader 
both  as  respects  his  statements,  and,  possibly,  in  respect  to  our  answers  ; 
besides  which  it  places  him    in    the   attitude  of  either  a  heedless  or  a 
lawless  controversialist. 

It  is  quite  impossible  in  these  pages  to  notice  more  than  the  major 
and  more  important  part  of  the  objections  urged  by  Mr.  Sheldon  ; 
and  this  we  can  not  do  in  a  manner  nearly  so  extended  as  we  could  wish, 
and  as  we  know  their  importance  demands ;  but  we  have  undertaken  to 
reply  to  all  those  of  any  real  force  or  value. 

If  in  anything  in  this  work  we  have  descended  to  too  low  a  plane 
in  our  argument,  our  main  apology  is,  that  we  thought  it  best,  in  the 
interest  of  truth,  to  follow  our  opponent  wherever  he  went,  in  order  to 
turn  the  true  light  upon  his  dark  and  crooked  ways  and  thus  disclose 
his  errors. 

We  have  frequently  emphasized  passages  quoted,  and  we  have  done 
so  in  order  to  call  special  attention  to  the  matter  under  consideration; 
but  we  disclaim  any  intention  of  thereby  changing  the  sense  of  such 
passages. 

Submitting  our  work  to  the  careful  and  considerate  attention  of  the 
reader,  we  ask  that  it  be  judged  upon  the  merits  of  its  facts,  and  not 
upon  the  excellency  of  its  diction  or  the  beauty  and  finish  of  its  periods. 

We  regret  its  brevity  and  its  imperfection,  especially  when  we  consider 
the  weighty  matters  of  which  it  treats. 

We  have  written  it  in  the  interests  of  truth — diamond  truth  —  and 
for  the  promotion  of  the  righteousness  of  God  among  men  and  to  further 
the  cause  of  "full  salvation."  And  with  this  consciousness  we  send  it 
out,  humbly  asking  for  it  the  best  blessings  of  heaven,  a  respectful  recep- 
tion among  men,  and  a  fair  hearing  by  all  into  whose  hands  it  may  come. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


JOSEPH  THE 


CHAPTER  I. 

We  have  recently  read  in  the  World's  Crisis  of  Boston,  for  July, 
1875,  a  lengthy  article  entitled  "Mormonism  Examined;  or,  Was 
Joseph  Smith  a  Divinely  Inspired  Prophet?"  from  the  pen  of  Elder 
William  Sheldon,  a  minister  of  the  Advent  Church,  and  sometime 
editor  of  the  Christian  Advent  Times,  and  more  recently  his  book 
entitled  "  Mormonism  Reviewed,"  and  feeling  that  they  should  be 
answered  we  now  undertake  this  work. 

Mr.  Sheldon  doubtless  availed  himself  of  all  the  arguments  hith- 
erto used  by  opponents  of  the  Latter  Day  Work,  selecting  such  as 
he  thought  he  could  use  with  effect,  and  to  them  has  added  an 
occasional  one  that  has  at  least  the  merit  of  being  new.  His  af- 
fected fairness  is  painfully  apparent,  while  his  false  inferences,  his 
bald  misstatements,  and  his  frequent  false  and  garbled  quotations, 
place  him  in  an  unpleasantly  low  rank  among  controversialists. 
This  we  very  much  regret,  for  from  a  brief  acquaintance  with  the 
gentleman  we  had  expected  of  him  better  things.  His  course  adds 
but  another  to  the  long  list  of  evidences  stretching  down  through 
the  ages,  that  men,  when  they  have  an  end  in  view,  usually  spare 
no  effort,  and  use  without  scruple  any  means  to  attain  it — "  the 
end  [with  them]  justifies  the  means." 

We  are  not  averse  to  criticism,  but,  on  the  contrary,  admire  it 
when  it  is  conducted  with  fairness  and  skill;  but  when  it  degener- 
ates into  quibbling,  low  trickery,  and  contemptible  pettifoggery, 
then  the  less  of  it  the  better. 

We  have  no  quarrel  with  any  for  not  believing  as  we  do — all 
should  believe  as  they  think  best,  and  we  are  morally  bound  to 
respect  them  in  that  right — for  the  right  of  private  judgment, 
and  the  fact  of  personal  responsibility,  are  inherent  in  man  and 
ordained  of  God.  What  we  ask,  and  all  that  we  ask  is,  for  others 
to  bear  in  mind  that  the  Latter  Day  Saints,  as  well  as  themselves, 
should  be  respected  in  their  rights  and  be  treated  in  respect  to 
their  faith  and  works  honestly,  fairly  and  courteously. 


6  JOSEPH  A  TRUE  PROPHET. 

As  for  Mr.  Sheldon, — the  propriety  of  his  efforts,  the  strength 
of  his  arguments,  the  piety  of  his  motives,  and  the  extent  of  his 
success  in  proving  that  "Mormonism"  is  false  in  its  foundations 
and  in  its  leading  facts, — the  reader  must  form  his  own  judgment 
as  we  proceed. 

ERRORS  IN  BOOK  OF  MORMON. 

Mr.  Sheldon  postulates  the  following:  "The  claims  of  Mormon- 
ism  to  divine  origin,  stand  or  fall  with  a  correct  answer  to  the 
simple  question,  Was  Joseph  Smith  a  true  prophet;"  and  he  then 
attempts  to  prove  that  there  are  historical  errors  in  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  assuming  that  if  there  are,  then  Joseph  Smith,  who- 
translated  the  book,  must  be  a  false  prophet.  This  claim  is  cer- 
tainly a  novel  one. 

To  make  a  translator  responsible  for  the  truth  or  falsity  of  the 
facts  he  translates  is  probably  an  original  idea  with  Mr.  Sheldon, 
and  one  that  he  feels  is  quite  indispensable  to  his  success.  Sensi- 
ble, fair  dealing  people  hardly  think  of  holding  Pope  responsible 
for  the  truth  or  falsity  of  Homer's  Illiad  or  Odyssey  because  he 
translated  them;  nor  would  they  hold  the  translators  of  the  Bible 
responsible  for  the  character  of  its  contents,  but  only  for  the  faith- 
fulness wilh  which  they  performed  their  work  of  translation. 

Now,  the  Book  of  Mormon  in  more  places  than  one  admits  that 
there  may  he  errors  and  imperfections  in  it.  It  does  not  claim 
absolute  perfection  as  to  its  contents  in  all,  and  in  every  respect. 
Its  historical  parts  do  not  claim  to  be  written  by  revelation,  or  by 
such  measure  of  inspiration  as  to  exclude  errors  and  defects  in 
language,  and  style;  nor  does  it  claim  to  be  absolutely  correct  in 
all  its  historical  dates.  Nephi,  the  very  first  writer  in  the  book,, 
is  conscious  that  through  his  inherent  "weakness"  his  record 
might  be,  possibly,  faulty.  He  says: 

"If  I  do  err,  even  they  did  err  of  old ;  not  that  I  would  excuse  myself 
because  of  other  men,  but  because  of  the  weakness  which  is  in  me,  accord- 
ing to  the  flesh." — 1  Nephi  5  :  47.  (See  also  Mormon  4:2,7,8.) 

And  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  testified  to  the  "three  witness- 
es" that  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  true;  and  when  these  "three 
witnesses"  say  they  know  it  is  true,  they  simply  and  only  mean 
that  it  is  true  in  the  sense,  and  to  the  extent,  that  the  book  itself 
claims  to  be  true — they  simply  testify  that  its  claims,  pretensions, 
explanations  and  definitions  are  true  according  to  the  tenor  of 
them. 

That  some  of  the  sacred  historians  "of  old"  did  "err"  in  some 
of  their  writings  is  too  well  known  to  need  any  argument  to  prove 


CRUCIFIXION.  7 

it,  as  may  be  seen  by  comparing  the  historical  books  of  the  Old 
Testament.  Nor  is  the  New  Testament  free  from  this  defect.  In 
Acts  1:  18, 19,  we  are  told  that  Judas  obtained  money  for  betray- 
ing Christ,  with  which  he  bought  a  field;  but  in  Matthew  27:  5-7, 
we  are  told  that  the  "chief  priests"  with  that  money  bought  the 
field.  So  of  Paul,  1  Cor.  10:  8;  Num.  25:  9,  he  claiming  that  there 
'•fell  in  one  day  three  and  twenty  thousand,"  while  the  latter  says 
it  was  "twenty  and  four  thousand."  Here  are  conflicts  which,  with 
others  that  occur,  prove  that  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament 
history  made  some  mistakes  and  did  "err"  in  at  least  a  few  things. 
Mr.  Sheldon  quotes  the  Book  of  Nephi: 

"And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  thirty-fourth  year,  in  the  first  month,  in  the 
fourth  day  of  the  month,  .  .  .  then  behold  there  was  darkness  upon  the  face 
of  the  land.  .  .  .  And  it  came  to  pass  that  it,  did  last  for  the  space  of  three 
days."— Nephi  4 :  2. 

This,  he  claims,  was  the  time  of  Christ's  crucifixion  as  predicted 
by  the  Lamanite  prophet  Samuel;  and  that  its  occurring  on  the 
"fourth  day"  of  the  "first  month,"  instead  of  the  fourteenth  day  of 
the  first  month,  Jewish  time,  proves  the  account  false,  the  Book  of 
Mormon  untrue,  and  Joseph  Smith,  its  translator,  a  false  prophet. 
Now,  if  he  had  read  and  honestly  considered  the  preceding  para- 
graph, we  might  have  been  spared  the  necessity  of  exposing  what 
savors  strongly  of  craftiness,  and  even  downright  trickery.  It 
reads: 

"It  was  a  just  man  who  did  keep  the  record  ;  .  .  .  and  now  it  came  to  pass, 
if  there  was  no  mistake  made  in  the  reckoning  of  our  time." 

Here  is  a  frank  admission  of  a  possible  error  in  the  record,  as  to 
time,  while  the  writer  maintains  the  verity  of  the  events  narrated,  he 
admits  a  possibility  of  error  in  respect  to  dates.  Why  did  not  Mr. 
Sheldon  cite  this  qualifying  statement?  Evidently  because  he 
knew  that  his  argument  would  thereby  be  stripped  of  its  force. 

The  Nephi tes  reckoned  time  under  three  different  eras;  the  first 
dating  from  Lehi's  exodus  from  Jerusalem,  (1  Nephi,  1:2;  Jacob 
1:  1,  etc),  the  next  dating  with  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  the 
Judges,  (Alma  1:  1;  2:  1;  also  book  of  Nephi  1:  1),  and  the  next 
with  the  birth  of  Christ  (Book  of  Nephi  1:  H-8).  Whether  their 
months  were  after  the  Jewish  style,  or  not,  is  uncertain.  Their 
months  may  have  begun  with  the  going  out  of  Lehi  and  his  family 
from  Jerusalem.  As  to  whether  "the  first  month,"  of  Nephi  4:  2, 
was  really  intended  for  Jewish  time,  or  for  time  peculiar  to  the 
Nephites,  it  is  not  our  province  now  to  determine.  Whatever  the 
time  was,  Jewish  or  Nephite,  the  writer  of  the  book  does  not  claim 


8  CHRIST'S  BIRTH. 

tba^it  was  absolutely  correct.  Joseph  Smith  translated  it  as.  he 
found  it,  and  the  correctness  or  incorrectness  of  those  dates  can? 
not  affect  the  truthfulness  of  Joseph  Smith's  calling. 


Mr.  Sheldon  next  affirms  that  "the  Book  of  Mormon  locates  the 
birth  of  Christ  too  late  in  the  world's  history  to  harmonize  with 
the  Bible  because  it  is  stated  in  2  Nephi  11:4,  that  the  Messiah 
should  come  in  six  hundred  years  from  the  time  that  Lehi  left 
Jerusalem,  which  was  in  the  first  year  of  King  Zedekiah's  reign," 
and  he  then  enters  into  a  lengthy  argument  to  prove  that  the  birth 
of  Christ  occurred  "just  five  hundred  and  fifty-three  years  from 
the  first  of  Zedekiah."  But  we  hold  that  it  was  clearly  600  years, 
from  the  first  year  of  Zedekiah's  reign  to  the  first  coming  of  the 
Messiah,  and  will  now  proceed  to  demonstrate  that  fact. 

As  to  the  precise  number  of  years  between  those  events,  chro- 
nologists  differ.  All  that  seems  necessary  now  is  to  find  what  was 
intended  by  the  statement  in  question;  for  it  is  a  wise  maxim  that 
"the  thing  intended,  is  the  thing  said."  The  text  reads: 

"For  according  to  the  words  of  the  prophets,  Ihe  Messiah  cometh  in  six 
hundred  years  from  the  time  that  my  father  left  Jerusalem." 

Here  is  a  text,  similiar  in  structure,  in  which  the  Lord  said  to 
Abraham: 

"Thy  set  d  shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  that  is  not  theirs,  and  shall  serve 
them  ;'  and  they  shall  afflict  them  four  hundred  years." — Gen.  15 : 13. 

Now,  in  Ex.  12:  40,  it  is  said,  "The  sojourning  of  Israel,  who 
dwelt  in  Egypt,  was  four  hundred  and  thirty  years."  Here  is  a 
difference  of  fhirfy  year*,  when  we  descend  to  verbal  niceties, 
between  the  time  as  promised  and  the  recorded  time  of  history. 
Will  Mr.  Sheldon  impeach  the  Almighty,  or  invalidate  Bible  his- 
tory because  of  this  discrepancy!  The  grounds  here  presented  are 
much  better  for  his  doing  so  than  are  those  he  takes  to  invalidate 
the  testimony  of  Nephi.  For  in  one  case  there  is  an  admitted  ver- 
bal difference,  (of  thirty  years),  while  in  the  other  there  is  not. 
What  was  evidently  intended  in  the  promise  to  Abraham  was,  that 
about  four  hundred  years,  in  round  numbers,  would  measure 
Israel's  captivity  in  Egypt.  So  in  regard  to  the  "six  hundred 
years"  predicted  by  Nephi;  a  fair  interpretation  would  be  that, 
"in  about  six  hundred  years." 

But  we  need  not  dwell  upon  this,  for  it  is  a  well  known  fact  that 
there  is  quite  a  difference  of  opinion  about  the  date  of  our  Savior's 
birth,  and  Mr.  Sheldon's  statement  is  only  his  personal  opinion 


CHRONOLOGY.  9 

about  that  matter.  Tegg,  editor  of  "The  Chronology,  or  Historian's 
Companion,"  makes  it  about  604  years  from  the  first  of  Zedekiah; 
Rollin  makes  it  about  600;  Usher,  JPetavius,  Jackson,  Hales,  and 
Bunsen,  near  the  same;  but  as  we  have  seen,  Mr.  Sheldon  fixes  it 
at  just  precisely  "553,"  a  difference  of  47  years.  It  may  be  well  to 
remark  that  he  reaches  his  very  precise  figures,  by  means  of  his 
forced  interpretation  of  Daniel  9:  25.  Mr.  Sheldon,  and  his  fellows, 
have  devoted  not  a  little  labor  to  "the  time  question,"  for  the  last 
55  or  more  years;  and,  if  they  succeed  as  well  in  the  future  as  they 
have  in  the  past,  they  will  convince  others,  even  if  they  fail  to  con- 
vince themselves,  that  they  know  but  little  in  reckoning  Bible 
time.  Their  erroneous  methods  of  interpretation,  which  have 
involved  them  in  many  and  frequent  serious  blunders  and  painful 
mistakes,  proclaim  them  "blind  guides,"  especially  upon  questions 
•of  time;  for  he  and  his  people  have  set  scores  of  different  times  for 
the  second  advent,  beginning  with  the  claim  of  Rev.  William  Mil- 
ler that  the  second  coming  of  Christ  would  take  place  in  the  early 
spring  of  1843.  "By  their  fruits  ye  shall  know  them." 

That  Mr.  Sheldon  has  gone  wide  of  the  mark,  as  is  usual,  in 
stating  that  it  was  but  553  years  from  the  first  of  Zedekiah  to  the 
birth  of  Jesus,  we  will  now  proceed  to  show,  and  that  too,  in  part, 
from  this  same  prophecy  of  Daniel: 

"Seventy  weeks  are  determined  upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy  holy  city,  to 
finish  the  transgression,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to  make  reconcilia- 
tion for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  to  seal  up 
the  vision  and  "prophecy,  and  to  anoint  the  Most  Holy.  Know  therefore 
and  understand,  that  from  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore 
and  to  build  Jerusalem,  unto  the  Messiah  the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks, 
and  three  score  and  two  weeks  ;  the  street  shall  be  built  again,  and  the  wall, 
even  in  troublous  times.  And  after  three  score  and  two  weeks  shall  Messiah 
be  cut  off,  but  not  for  himself;  and  the  people  of  the  prince  that  shall  come 
shall  destroy  the  city  and  the  sanctuary  ;  and  the  end  thereof  shall  b  >  with 
a  flood,  and  unto  the  end  of  the  war  desolations  are  determined.  And  he 
shall  confirm  the  covenant  with  many  for  one  week  ;  and  in  the  midst  of  the 
week  he  shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  to  cease,  and  for  the  over- 
spreading of  abominations  lie  shall  make  it  desolate,  even  until  the  con- 
summation, and  that  determined  shall  be  poured  upon  the  desolate." — Dan. 
"9 : 24-27. 

That  the  days  composing  these  several  periods  signify  so  many 
years  of  common  time  we  fully  believe.  Therefore  we  note  that 
the  "seventy  weeks,"  (or  490  years),  are  divided  into  periods  of 
^'seven  weeks,"  [49  years],  "threescore  and  two  weeks,"  [434 
years],  leaving  "the  week,"  or,  "one  week,"  [seven  years],  as  the  last 
and  concluding  period  of  the  "seventy  weeks,"  or  490  years.  Now 
•"from  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build 


10  SEVENTY  WEEKS. 

Jerusalem  unto  the  Messiah,  the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks,  and 
threescore  and  two  weeks," — or  483  years.  This  certainly  does 
not  relate  to  the  commandment  of  Cyrus  to  build  the  temple  as  Mr. 
Sheldon  claims,  for  that  was  issued,  according  to  Rollin,  (Hist. 
Cyrus,  ch.  1,  art.  3,  sec.  2),  B.  c.  536,  or  about  from  562  to  567 
years  before  "Messiah  the  Prince"  was  manifested,  (which  evi- 
dently occurred  at  his  baptism  by  John,  see  John,  1:29  to  41),  and 
with  this  agree  the  dates  in  the  Bible,  Ezra  1:1.  The  "command- 
ment" predicted  was.  clearly  that  one  which  should  effect  the  resto- 
ration of  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews,  and  eventuate  in  the  building 
up  of  their  city — "the  street,"  "and  the  wall" — and  all  this  "even 
in  troublous  times,"  for  such  are  the  terms  of  the  prophecy. 
Twenty  years  after  the  decree  of  Cyrus,  in  the  sixth  year  of 
Darius,  "the  temple  was  finished  and  dedicated,  but  the  walls 
remained  as  the  Assyrians  had  left  them"  at  the  close  of  the  terri- 
ble siege  seventy  years  before — («).  Fifty-eight  years  after  the 
temple  was  dedicated,  or  "B.  c.  457,  Ezra  arrived  from  Babylon 
with  a  caravan  of  Priests,  Levites,  Nethinims,  and  lay  people. "- 
Ibifi  This  was  by  tin-  ••ommantlment,  of  Artaxerxes  [Longimanus], 
— Ezra  7:  1-28.  And  the  effect  of  this  "commandment"  was  to 
restore  Jerusalem  to  its  former  state,  before  the  captivity,  both  in 
respect  to  its  civil  government,  and  its  religious  services: 

"And  thou,  Ezra,  after  the  wisdom  of  thy  God,  that  is  in  thine  hand,  set 
magistrates  and  judges,  which  may  judge  all  the  people  that  are  beyond  the 
river,  all  such  as  know  the  laws  of  thy  God;  and  teach  ye  them  that  know 
them  not.  And  whosoever  will  not  do  the  law  of  thy  God,  and  the  Taw  of 
the  king,  let  judgment  be  executed  speedily  upon  him,  whether  it  be  unto 
death,  or  to  banishment,  or  to  confiscation  of  goods,  or  to  imprisonment." — 
Ezra  7  : 25,  26. 

It  is  true  that  the  building  of  "the  street,"  and  "the  wall"  did 
not  take  place  till  about  thirteen  years  after  this,  in  the  twentieth 
of  Artaxerxes,  or  about  B.  c.  444-5,  but  the  "commandment  to 
restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem"  was  nevertheless  given  to  Ezra. 
This  work  of  building  "the  wall"  was  done  when  Nehemiah  was 
Governor  of  Judea,  (Neherniah  2),  and  it  was  done  "even  in  troub- 
lous times,"  for 

"They  which  builded  on  the  wall,  and  they  which  bear  burdens,  with 
those  that  laded,  every  one  with  one  of  his  hands  wrought  in  the  work,  and 
with  the  other  hand  held  a  weapon.  For  the  builders,  every  one  had  his 
sword  girded  by  his  side,  and  so  builded." — Neh.  4:17,  18. 

Now,  "from  the  commandment"  of  Artaxerxes  to  Ezra  to- 
"restore"  Jerusalem  to  its  former  religious  and  civil  estate,  (which 

(a)  Bible  Diet..  Smith.  Art.  Jerusalem. 


SEVENTY  WEEKS.  11 

we  see  went  forth  about  B.  c.  457),  to  the  announcement  of  "Mes- 
siah the  Prince,"  (John  1:29-41)  A.  D.  30,  would  be  487  years. 
From  this  take  off  four  years  because  our  A.  D.  begins,  it  is  said, 
four  years  after  Christ  was  born,  and  this  would  leave  just  483 
years,  or  "seven  weeks,  threescore  and  two  weeks." 

That  "the  week" — the  last  period — "in  the  midst"  of  which  "he 
shall  cause  the  sacrifice  and  the  oblation  [under  the  law]  to  cease" 
measures 'the  three  and  a  half  years  of  Christ's  active  ministry,  the 
terminating  of  the  law  of  sacrifices  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself  on 
the  cross,  (Heb.  10:4-13,  etc.),  with  the  three  and  a  half  years  of 
his  ministers'  fruitful  labors  in  establishing  the  New  Covenant 
among  the  Jews,  is  very  probable  if  not  conclusive. 

And  further;  that  the  "seven  weeks"— or  49  years — refer  to  the 
peculiar  and  eventful  period  immediately  following  the  "going 
forth  of  the  commandment  to  restore  and  to  build  Jerusalem,"  is, 
I  think,  quite  evident;  and  that  the  period  of  "threescore  and  two 
weeks" — or  434  years — are  to  be  added  to  the  49  years,  making 
483  years,  thus  bringing  us  to  the  times  when  the  Messiahship  of 
Jesus  was  announced,  I  also  think  is  beyond  question;  but  of  this 
we  may  not  now  write  at  length.  Enough  has  already  been  shown 
to  prove  Mr.  Sheldon's  reckoning  entirely  wrong  and  misleading. 

Rollin,  whose  chronological  dates  differ  from  those  of  Usher, 
Hales,  Haydn,  and  others,  thinks  the  beginning  of  the  "seventy 
weeks"  should  date  from  the  twentieth  of  Artaxerxes,  instead  of 
the  seventh,  for  the  reason  that  at  that  time  Nehemiah  was 
appointed  governor  of  Judea,  and  specially  commissioned,  by 
decree  of  the  King,  to  build  the  walls  of  Jerusalem — (6).  If  Rol- 
lin's  Chronology  were  correct  his  position  would  be  good.  He 
locates  the  seventh  of  Artaxerxes  B.  c.  467,  instead  of  B.  c.  457,  as 
Usher,  and  others;  and  the  twentieth  of  Artaxerxes  B.  c.  454, 
instead  of  B:  c.  445,  as  Usher  and  others.  But  we  believe  the 
"seventy  weeks"  dates  from  the  commandment  to  Ezra,  as  before 
explained. 

Having  discovered  very  near,  if  not  the  exact  year  to  date  the 
beginning  of  the  famous  "seventy  weeks,"  we  now  have  to  look 
after  that  period  between  either  the  seventh  (or  twentieth)  of 
Artaxerxes  and  the  first  of  Zedekiah,  in  order  to  learn  how  long  it 
was  from  the  latter  to  the  birth  of  Christ,  for  that  is  the  point 
upon  which  Mr.  Sheldon  claims  he  has  wrecked  the  authenticity  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  prophetic  mission  of  Joseph  the 
Seer.  From  the  first  of  Zedekiah,  (2  Chron.  36: 10),  to  the  seventh 

(6)  See  Hist,  of  the  Persians  and  Grecians,  Chap.  1,  Sec.  6. 


12  PLACE  OF  CHRIST'S  BIRTH. 

of  Artaxerxes — and  the  "commandment"  to  Ezra  to  "restore" 
Jerusalem, — (Ezra  7:7),  is  142  years.  To  this  add  457,  and  wa 
have  599  years  to  A.  D.  1.  Or,  taking  Rollin's  dates,  we  have  the 
last  of  Zedekiah  in  B.  c.  589,  to  which  the  eleven  years  of  his 
reign  should  be  added,  and  we  have  600  years  to  A.  D.  1  instead  of 
"just  five  hundred  and  fifty-three  years  from  the  first  of  Zedekiah 
to  Messiah"  as  is  so  boastfully  but  falsely  claimed  by  Mr.  Sheldon. 
Thus  by  either  and  by  both  of  these  lines  of  chronology,  we  prove 
that,  as  the  Book  of  Mormon  claims,  it  was  600  years  from  the 
first  of  Zedekiah's  reign  to  Messiah;  and  we  therefore  prove  that 
Mr.  Sheldon's  reckoning  is  wrong  by  47  years;  and  we  also  find 
that  Mr.  Sheldon  is-  caught  in  the  snare  he  laid  for  others. 

While  we  wish  that  the  chronology  of  the  past  was  more  perfect 
and  reliable,  yet  imperfect  as  it  is  we  can  approximate  the  truth, 
and  that  answers  the  practical  purposes  of  the  case.  In  the  con- 
fessed defective  state  of  chronology,  especially  that  prior  to  A.  D. 
30,  we  feel  quite  safe  in  trusting  the  dates  of  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon. They  may  be  trusted  as  safely  at  least  as  any.  One  thing 
we  have  demonstrated,  and  that  is  that  Mr.  Sheldon  has  erred 
greatly  in  his  statements  on  time  in  his  interpretation  of  Daniel, 
and  in  his  bitter  and  groundless  charges  against  the  authenticity 
of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  prophetic  character  of  Joseph  the 
Seer.  In  his  malevolent  haste  he  has  plunged,  as  we  have  seen, 
into  an  error  of.  forty-seven  yars  in  reckoning  time. 

Mr.  Sheldon  also  errs  in  his  statement  that  "the  first  year  of 
Zedekiah  began  the  70  years'  captivity,"  (of  the  Jews);  for  it 
began  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim,  or  about  B.  c. 
606 — (c). 

Verily,  Mr.  Sheldon  proves  himself  altogether  faulty  in  his 
judgment  as  to  time,  and  very  false  or  blind  in  his  statements; 
therefore  his  theories  and  opinions  and  attempts  at  logic  are 
utterly  unworthy  and  unreliable. 

PLACE  OF  CHRIST'S  BIRTH. 

In  the  next  place  Mr.  Sheldon  undertakes  to  show  that  the  Book 
of  Mormon  is  false  because  of  its  statement  that  Christ  should  be 
born  "at  Jerusalem." — (Alma  5:2).  Now,  if  he  had  quoted  the 
context,  the  reader  of  his  article  could  have  seen  at  a  glance  what 
was  meant  by  Alma.  I  will  quote  it:  "And  behold,  he  shall  be 
born  of  Mary,  at  Jerusalem,  which  is  the  lurid  of  our  forefathers." 
We  have  no  apologies  to  offer  for  the  grammatical  construction  of 

(r.)  Vide  Jer.  25;  11-18;  2  Kings  24:  1-4;  2  Chron  36;  5-7;  Rollin's  Hist.  Assyrians,  chap.  2; 
.and  Josephus  Ant.  Jews,  B.  10,  chapters  6  and  7. 


'MELCHIZEDEK  PRIESTHOOD.  13: 

this  passage;  what  we  wish  to  know  is,  what  it  means.  That  it 
refers  more  especially  to  the  vicinity  of,  and  not  necessarily  to  the 
very  limits  within  the  city  is,  I  think,  quite  apparent.  The  word 
at,  is  a  preposition  and  primarily  signifies  nearness,  presence;  as,  at 
the  sea;  at  the  grave;  at  the  river;  etc.,  etc.,  which  properly  signifies 
close  by.  Some  suppose,  and  not  without  reason,  that  Bethlehem  of 
Judea,  the  birth-place  of  our  Savior,  was  a  suburb  of  Jerusalem, 
and  could,  in  that  sense,  be  reckoned  a  part  of  Jerusalem. 

Mr.  Sheldon  states  that  "the  Bible  often  affirms  that  he  was 
born  at  Bethlehem."  Here  he  makes  another  characteristic  mis- 
take; for,  to  the  contrary,  it  often  affirms  that  he  was  born  in 
Bethlehem.  See  Luke  2:4-11;  Matt.  2:1,  5,  16. 

When  considering  the  import  of  the  text  in  question,  it  should 
be  borne  in  mind  that  Alma  was  many  thousand  miles  away  from 
the  place  of  which  he  speaks,  and  therefore  his  description  of  it 
relatively  was  eminently  proper,  and  sufficiently  plain  for  all  but 
those  who  would  "make  a  man  an  offender  for  a  word." 

MELCHIZEDEK    PRIESTHOOD. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says,  that  "the  Book  of  Mormon  clashes  with  the 
Bible  in  its  claims  concerning  the  Melchizedek  priesthood  under 
the  law." 

It  does  claim  that  there  were  many  besides  Melchizedek  who 
were  priests  of  the  Melchizedek  order,  not  "under  the  law,"  though 
some  of  them  lived  during  the  times  of  "the  law."  Many  of  these 
lived  prior  to  Moses,  and  other  some  on  the  continent  of  America 
and  elsewhere. 

Mr.  Sheldon  argues  that  Israel  had  no  other  than  Aaronic 
priests,  and  they  only  under  the  law.  But  Moses  was  a  priest, 
(Ps.  99:  6),  and  officiated  as  such,  (Ex.  24:  4-8),  before  Aaron  and 
his  sons  were  set  apart  to  minister  in  the  priest's  office,  (Ex. 
28:  1).  Now,  as  there  are  but  two  orders  of  priesthood  mentioned 
in  the  Bible,  he  must  be  assigned  to  one  of  those  two  orders.  And 
inasmuch  as  he  held  priestly  authority  and  power  over  both  Aaron 
and  his  sons,  before  and  after  they  were  set  apart,  are  we  not 
forced  to  conclude  that  he  held  the  higher  priesthood, — the  Mel- 
chizedek? 

Mr.  Sheldon,  rash  as  he  is,  will  not  dare  say  that  Moses  was  not 
'a'prtest;  nor  can  he  with  truth  say  that  he  was  an  Aaronic  priest. 
To  what  order  he  would  assign  him  it  is  difficult  to  conjecture;  yet 
J  of  one  thing  we  may 'rest  assured,  he  will  not  allow  that  he  was  a 
!MeIchizeflek  priest,  for  that  would  utterly  spoil  his  argument,  for 
he  'claims  that  dnly  Melchi'zedek  and  Christ  were  priests  of  that 


14  MELCHIZEDEK  PRIESTHOOD. 

order.  If  Moses  belonged  to  neither  the  Melchizedek  nor  the 
Aaronic  orders,  then  he  mutt  have  belonged  to  some  other  order. 
Will  Mr.  Sheldon  please  arise  and  explain?  for  he  will  have  it 
that  only  Christ  and  Melchizedek  belonged  to  the  one  order;  and 
only  Aaron  and  his  sons  to  the  other.  Nevertheless  Moses  was  a 
priest  of  God,  as  we  have  shown,  and  the  leading  type  of  Christ. 
Will  Mr.  Sheldon  say  that  he  was  a  sort  of  provisional  priest, — a 
make-shift — and  belonging  to  no  order? 

We  believe  that  Moses  was  truly  a  priest,  and  that  he  was  not 
an  Aaronic  priest  either,  but  that  he  was  a  Melchizedek  priest,  and 
hence  was  a  fit  type  of  the  Lord  Christ.  Abel  was  evidently  a 
priest,  (Gen.  4:3-5);  so  also  was  Noah,  (Gen.  8:20,  21);  so  Abra- 
ham, (Gen.  22:  13);  and  so  Jacob,  (Gen.  31:  54;  46: 1);  so  also  was 
Job,  (Job  1:5;  42:8),  who,  it  is  probable,  was  not  a  Hebrew. 
Nor  is  this  all,  for  Jethro  was  evidently  a  priest,  accredited  and 
honored  of  God;  for, — 

"Jethro,  Moses'  father-in-law,  took  a  burnt  offering  and  sacrifices  for  God; 
.and  Aaron  came  and  all  the  elders  of  Israel,  to  eat  bread  [sacramental?]  with 
Moses'  father-in-law  before  #orf."— Ex.  18:  12. 

That  this  eating  "bread"  was  a  religious  ceremony,  (like  the 
sacrament  under  the  gospel),  and  not  ordinary  feasting,  is  seen  in 
the  fact  that  it  was  done  "before  God,"  under  the  administration 
of  a  "priest,"  and  at  a  season  when  this  priest  offered  "a  burnt 
offering  and  sacrifices  for  Uorf." 

Furthermore,  that  Jethro  was  a  priest  accepted  and  ordained  of 
God  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  Aaron,  and  all  the  elders  of  Israel, 
honored  his  ministrations  by  their  presence  and  did  "eat  bread" 
with  him,  which  they  would  not  have  done  if  he  had  not  been  a 
priest  of  God  ministering  in  righteousness.  That  he  was  a  priest 
of  God  is  further  evident  from  the  fact  that  he  'rejoiced  for  all 
the  goodness  which  the  Lord  had  done  to  Israel,"  (Ex.  18:9),  in 
delivering  them  from  Egypt;  and  from  the  fact  that  he  said, 
"Blessed  be  the  Lord  who  hath  delivered  you  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
Egyptians;"  and  from  the  still  greater  fact  that,  he  gave  to  Moses 
important,  acceptable,  and  highly  enlightened  counsel  in  regard  to 
the  organization  and  government  of  Israel.  To  Moses  he  said: 

"Hearken  now  unto  my  voice,  I  will  give  thee  counsel,  ami  God  shall  be 
with  thee;  .  .  .,  So  .Moses  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  his  father-in-law,  and 
did  all  that  he  said."— Ex. .18:  19,  24.  .  . 

Certainly  an  idolatrous  priest  would  not  have  proffered  counsel, 
especially  such  wise  counsel..'  And,  it  i&  furthermore  certain  that 
Moses  would  not,- for  one  moment,  have  received  counsel  from  any 


TITHES.  15 

other  than  a  priest  of  God.  To  say  that  Jethro  was  an  idolatrous 
priest  would  be  to  say  that  God  taught  superior  wisdom  to  his  own 
minister,  Moses,  through  an  idolator. 

Inasmuch  then  as  Jethro  was  a  priest  of  God,  he  too,  must  have 
belonged  to  one  of  the  two  orders — Melchizedek  or  Aaronic.  If 
we  say  that  he  was  an  Aaronic  priest,  we  deny  the  Bible  account; 
but  if  we  say  that  he  was  a  Melchizedek  priest,  then  we  say  that 
which  is,  we  think,  conclusive  to  every  intelligent,  unprejudiced 
mind. 

Besides  those  priests  already  mentioned  there  were  others,  not 
of  the  order  of  Aaron,  who  did  minister  before  the  Lord  with 
acceptance  between  Moses  and  Christ:  Samuel,  (1  Sam.  7:9); 
David,  (2  Sam,  6:  18);  Elijah,  (1  Kings  18:80-38).  These,  with 
others,  officiated  as  priests  with  favor  before  the  Lord,  for  the  Lord 
answered  their  ministrations  with  blessings.  And,  inasmuch  as  all 
these  aforementioned  persons,  some  of  whom  were  not  even  of  Israel, 
did  minister  in  the  rites,  ceremonies  and  ordinances  of  the  priest- 
hood, both  before  and  after  the  time  of  Moses,  either  by  the  com- 
mandment or  with  the  approval  of  God,  is  it  unreasonable,  or  con- 
trary to  the  Scriptures  to  believe,  and  claim,  that  God  did  call 
persons  on  this  continent,  in  ancient  times,  to  minister  in  the 
priesthood  as  is  taught  in  the  Book  of  Mormon?  But  enough  on 
this  topic  for  the  present;  for  we  shall  have  occasion  to  consider 
the  subject  of  the  priesthood  at  greater  length  ere  we  conclude 
this  review. 

T  i  T  H  E  s . 

Another  huge  stumbling-stone,  one  on  which  Mr.  Sheldon  pro- 
poses to  wreck  Mormonisrn  he  finds  in  the  saying  of  Alma,  that 
"our  father  Abraham  paid  tithes  of  one  tenth  part  of  all  he  pos- 
sessed."— Alma  10:  1.  Mr.  Sheldon  tells  us  that  "tithes'"1  "means 
a  tenth."  To  this  we  reply  that,  tithes  means  tenths,  or  may  mean 
a  tax,  a  revenue  arising  from  tithings;  and  this  latter  is  clearly  the 
sense  in  which  Alma  wished  to  be  understood.  The  word  "tithes" 
may  mean  the  sum  total  of  what  is  gathered  by  tithing,  as  an 
amount  of  revenue  gathered  under  the  order  of  tithing;  yet  Mr. 
Sheldon  says  the  text  from  Alma,  "Our  father,  Abraham,  paid 
tithes  of  one-tenth  part  of  all  he  possessed,"  states,  in  effect,  that 
Abraham  paid  "a  tenth  of  one  tenth  part  of  all  he  possessed,  .  .  .. 
which  would  be  only  a  hundredth."  Now  we  venture  the  asser- 
tionothat  no  sensible,  honest  person,  unless  he  be  blinded  by, pre- 
judice, would  ever  put  such  a  construction  upon  the  passage.  The 


16  TITHES. 

manifest  meaning  of  the  passage  is  this:  Abraham  paid  tithes  com- 
posed of  one  tenth  part  of  all  that  he  possessed. 

Here  is  a  text  from  Deut.  26:  12,  which  we  present  for  the  future 
consideration  and  critical  labor  of  Mr.  Sheldon.  Perhaps  we  may- 
next  hear  of  his  undertaking  to  prove  Moses  a  false  prophet  arid 
the  Bible  a  humbug,  because  the  text  is  so  very  like  the  offensive 
one  from  Alma:  "When  thou  hast  made  an  end  of  tithing  all  the 
tithes  of  thine  increase  the  third  year."  This  was  the  command- 
ment to  the  people  of  Israel,  arid  refers  directly  to  the  manner  in 
which  they  should  pay  their  tithing  as  may  be  further  seen  from 
Deut.  14:  28.  Would  it  not  be  consistent  now  for  Mr.  Sheldon  to 
set  himself  vigorously  at  it  to  write  another  work,  warning  the 
people  against  Moses  and  the  Bible  because  that  in  the  Bible  Moses 
instructs  Israel  in  "tithing  all  the  tithes"  of  their  increase? 

Jesus  commanded  tithe  paying.  (Matt.  23:  23).  Abraham,  "the 
father  of  the  faithful,"  paid  tithes  to  Melchizedek  (Gen.  14:20} 
four  hundred  and  twenty-three  years  before  Moses  gave  the  law  of 
tithes  to  Israel.  (Num,  18:  21-24.)  Paul  endorsed  it;  (Heb.  7:  8); 
and  the  Lord  promised  great  blessings  to  Israel  if  they  were  faith- 
ful therein.  (Mai.  3:10-12).  Mr.  Sheldon  with  his  critical  tactr 
could  as  easily  prove  the  Bible  false  and  Moses  an  impostor! 

AARONIC    PRIESTHOOD. 

Mr.  Sheldon  objects  that,  "The  Book  of  Mormon  locates  the 
Aaronic  priesthood  among  the  descendants  of  Manasseh,  instead 
of  Levi,  in  opposition  to  the  Bible."  It  should  be  borne  in  mind 
that  this  particular  priesthood  is  called  the  Aaronic  or  Levitical,  in 
order  to  distinguish  it  from  the  higher  or  Melchizedek;  and  because 
that,  in  the  organized  kingdom  or  commonwealth  of  Israel,  it  was 
delegated  to  Aaron  and  his  seed.  But  we  are  -not  aware  of  any 
passage  in  the  Bible  that  would  prevent  the  scattered  branches 
of  Israel,  or  those  who  become  "Abraham's  seed  and  heirs 
according  to  the  promise,"  from  holding  and  exercising  the 
same  or  similar  priesthood  authority  as  did  Aaron  and  his  seed, 
with,  or  without  the  ceremonial  law.  The  law  touching  the 
Aaronic  priesthood  in  organized  Israel,  in  Or  near  Judea,  does  not 
preclude  the  bestowment  of  the  same  or  similar  authority  outside 
Of  and  beyond  there. 

feut  how  does  Mr.  Sheldon  know  that  those  of  Manasseh's  seed 
whom  he  trieritidiis  were  professedly  priests  of  the  Aaronic  order? 
They  do'ndt  claiih  to  be  of  that  Order;  and  the  Latter  Day  Saints 
do  ndt  clairri  that  they  Were.  Mr.  Sheldon 'simply  assumes-as  much, 
:!ihd  then  undertakes vto  proVe  it  by  quoting: 


APPEAKINGS  OF  CHRIST.  17 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  I,  Nephi,  did  consecrate  Jacob  and  Joseph,  that 
they  should  be  priests." — 2  Nephi  4:5. 

There  is  here  not  even  the  slightest  hint  that  they  were  Aaronic 
priests.  As  we  have  before  seen,  there  were  many  priests  among 
the  people,  both  before  and  after  the  giving  of  the  law,  who  were 
not  called  Aaronic  priests.  Gideon,  of  the  tribe  of  Manasseh, 
officiated  as  a  priest  230  years  after  the  setting  apart  of  Aaron  and 
his  sons  (Judges  6:13-27);  and  Manoah,  of  the  tribe  of  Dan, 
officiated  as  a  priest  330  years  after.  (Judges  13:  2-23.)  Moses,  a 
priest,  but  not  an  Aaronic  priest,  was  the  chief  teacher  and  admin- 
istrator under  the  law  given  through  and  by  him. 

God  never  had  a  special  people  whom  he  did  not  bless  with  priest- 
hood, its  privileges  and  powers,  whether  during  the  times  of  the 
Patriarchs,  or  from  Moses  to  Christ,  or  under  the  gospel  dispensa- 
tion. And  inasmuch  as  the  Nephites  were  a  righteous  people  and 
specially  favored  of  God,  it  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose  that  they 
would  enjoy  the  privileges  and  benefits  of  the  priesthood.  It  is 
not  impossible  or  improbable,  that  the  Nephites  held  priesthood 
similar  or  identical  with  that  of  Aaron.  The  text  is  silent  on  this 
point,  yet  Mr.  Sheldon  assumes  that  it  claims  Aaronic  priest- 
hood. But  of  this  priesthood  matter  more  hereafter. 

APPEARING    OF    CHRIST. 

The  next  objection  urged  is,  that  "the  Book  of  Mormon  con- 
flicts with  the  Bible  in  locating  the  second  coming  of  Christ  in  the 
past,"  because  it  states  that  Christ  appeared  to  the  Nephites 
"within  a  year  after  his  crucifixion." — Book  of  Nephi  5:  5.  Christ 
said, 

"Other  sheep  I  have,  which  are  not  of  this  fold  [in  Judea];  them  alK>  I 
must  bring,  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice," — John  10  : 16. 

Now,  inasmuch  as  he  was  "not  sent  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of 
the  house  of  Israel,"  (Matt.  15:24),  it  must  follow  that  these 
"other  sheep"  were  "of  the  house  of  Israel,"  and  they  not  in  Judea. 
Christ's  ministry  before  his  crucifixion  was  confined  to  Judea;  so 
that  the  fulfillment  of  this  promise  must  have  been  accomplished 
after  his  crucifixion  and  in  another  locality  than  Judea,  and  to  others 
of  "the  lost  sheep  of  the  houste  of  Israel"  than  those  dwelling  in 
Judea.  The  Book  of  Mormon,  and  that  only,  affords  the  true 
meaning  and  explanation  of  Christ's  words.  In  that  we  find  an 
easy  and  rational  solution  of  the  otherwise  unanswerable  questions 
as  to  when,  where,  and  how,  this  promise  of  Jesus  had  its  fulfillment. 
For  it  states  (Book  of  Nephi  7:  2)  that  Jesus,  after  his  resurrection 
did  minister  in  teaching  a  branch  of  the  "lost  sheep,"  the  Nephites 
2 


18  APPEARINGS  OF  CHRIST. 

on  this  continent.  But  this  appearing  of  Christ  to  the  Nephites 
can  not  be  made  to  mean  his  second  coming.  Christ  certainly 
appeared  to  Paul  some  years  after  he  had  ascended  to  the  Father, 
for  so  Paul  testifies.  And  that  was  not  his  second  coming,  though 
later  than  his  appearance  to  the  Nephites. 

"And  last  of  all  he  was  seen  of  me  also,  as  of  one  born  out  of  due  time." — 1 
Cor.  15 : 8. 

Now  it  is  evident  that  Paul  saw  him  as  truly  and  as  literally  as 
did  any  of  the  apostles.  This  is  the  sense  of  his  testimony. 
Again: 

"Have  I  not  seen  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord?" — 1  Cor.  9 : 1. 

Ananias,  sent  of  God,  said  to  Saul: 

"The  God  of  our  fathers  hath  chosen  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  know  his 
will  and  see  that  Just  One,  and  shouldest  hear  the  voice  of  his  mouth."— Acts 
22:14. 

This  was  an  open  vision,  as  appears  in  the  fact  that  the  men  who 
were  with  Paul  "saw  the  light." — Verse  9. 

These  texts  teach  the  personal  appearing  of  Jesus  to  Paul  after 
his  resurrection  and  ascension.  But  further  : 

"And  the  night  following  the  Lord  stood  by  him,  and  said,  Be  of  good  cheer, 
Paul;  for  as  thou  hast  testified  of  me  in  Jerusalem,  so  must  thou  bear  witness 
also  at  Rome." — Acts  23:  11. 

And  that  Paul  actually  .ww  the  Lord  Jesus  on  earth,  personally, 
we  further  learn  from  the  direct  testimony  of  Barnabas  : 

"But  Barnabas  took  him,  [Paul],  and  brought  him  to  the  apostles,  and 
declared  unto  them  how  he  had  seen  the  Lord  in  the  way,  and  that  he  had 
spoken  unto  him." — Acts  9  :  27. 

This  puts  the  matter  beyond  question,  that  Paul  not  only  saw 
the  "light  from  heaven"  and  "heard  n  voice,"  but  that  he  likewise 
actually  and  literally  saw  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  heard  "the  voice  of 
hiK  mouth"  "in  the  way"  going  to  Damascus;  i.  e.,  in  the  highway. 

It  seems  from  Eusebius  that  the  early  Christians  believed  that 
Christ  appeared  to  many,  after  his  ascension.  He  says: 

"Besides  these,  ['Cephus,'  'the  twelve/  'five  hundred  brethren  at  once,' 
'James'],  there  still  was  a  considerable  number  who  were  apostles  in  imitation 
of  the  twelve,  such  as  Paul  himself  was,  he  [Paul]  adds,  saying,  'afterwards 
he  appeared  to  all  the  apostles.' " — Eccl.  Hist.  p.  42. 

By  this  we  learn  that  these  last  mentioned  "apostles"  were  others 
besides  the  first  "twelve,"  and  that  Paul,  and  they,  too,  saw  Christ. 
Again,  Paul  says  he  appeared  unto  "the  twelve;"  i.  e ,  evidently 
after  his  ascension,  for,  after  the  death  of  Judas  there  was  but 
"the  eleven,"  until  after  the  ascension,  when  other  apostles  were 
called,  as  see  Eph.  4  :  8-12.  And  again,  Paul  says  he  appeared  to 


CHRIST  PRE-EXISTENT.  19 

"above  five  hundred  brethren  at  once."  The  facts  of  history  favor 
the  idea  that  there  was  no  assemblage  after  the  crucifixion,  of  so 
many  Saints,  (especially  brethren),  until  after  the  ascension.  Evi- 
dence is  abundant  that  our  Savior  appeared,  personally,  to  many 
in  Judea,  after  his  ascension.  But  Mr.  Sheldon  says  this  appear- 
ance to  Paul  "was  a  vision;"  by  which  he  probably  means  a  trance, 
ecstacy,  or  spiritual  view.  That  the  word  vision  often  signifies 
this  we  know;  but  in  Paul's  case  it  certainly  signifies  something 
different,  as  is  apparent  from  the  different  descriptions  given  of  it. 
The  first  and  most  natural  meaning  of  the  word  vision,  is  literal, 
natural,  actual  siuht.  In  this  sense  it  is  used,  no  doubt,  in  respect 
to  Paul's  seeing  Christ;  also  in  Luke  24  :  23,  where  it  is  said  that 
certain  women  "had  also  seen  a  vision  of  angels,  which  said  that  he 
was  alive."  That  this  is  the  true  sense  may  be  seen  by  consulting 
Luke  24:  4-10.  So  also  of  Luke  1  :  11,  22,  where  Zechariah  saw 
the  angel  Gabriel,  "on  the  right  side  of  the  altar  of  incense,"  in  "a 
vision."  Why  should  it  be  thought  strange  that  Christ  appeared 
•on  earth  after  his  ascension,  and  before  his  second  coming? 

PRE-EXISTEXCE  OF  CHRIST. 

We  read  in  the  Scriptures  of  his  appearing  to  some  many  years 
before  his  first  coming,  such  as  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  for  instance: 

"Lo,  I  see  four  men  loose,  walking  in -the  midst  of  the  lire,  and  they  have 
no  hurt ;  and  the  form  of  the  fourth  is  like  the  Son  of  God." — Dan.  3  :  25. 

Again,  to  Abraham,  Gen.  18:  13,  17,  20,  26,  30;  to  Jacob,  Gen. 
32  :  30,  and  to  Moses,  Ex.  3:  2,  4;  Ex.  6:  3.  Of  these  last  men- 
tioned appearances,  and  others,  Eusebius  makes  these  judicious 
remarks, — 

'•  That  the  divine  Word,  therefore,  pre-existed  and  appeared,  if  not  to  all, 
at  least  to  some,  has  been  thus  briefly  shown." — Eccl.  Hist.  p.  18. 

He  further  says,  (what  must  be  evident  to  every  candid  intelli- 
gent mind),  that, 

"  To  suppose  these  divine  appearances  were  the  forms  of  subordinate  angels 
and  servants  of  God,  is  inadmissable;  since,  as  often  as  any  of  these  [angels] 
appeared  to  men,  the  Scriptures  do  not  conceal  the  fact  in  the  name,  express- 
ly saying  that  they  were  called  not  God,  nor  Lord,  but  [only]  angels." — Eccl. 
Hist.  p.  17. 

Now,  inasmuch  as  Christ  appeared  to  his  people  before  his  first 
advent,  and  to  Paul  and  others  in  Judea,  after  his  resurrection  and 
ascension,  it  is  not  unscriptural,  nor  incredible,  that  he,  after  his 
ascension,  should  appear  to  his  people  on  this  continent  as  stated 
in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  especially  when  we  consider  his  promise 
that  "other  sheep"  than  those  in  Judea  should  hear  his  voice.  Christ's 


20  PLAGIAEISM  CHARGED. 

first  coming  was  to  dwell  with,  and  minister  for  his  people;  and  his  sec- 
ond coming  is  for  the  same  purpose,  and  to  reign  "King  of  kings 
and  Lord  of  lords."  His  appearance  at  divers  times  after  his 
ascension,  including  his  resurrection,  can  no  more  be  called  his 
second  or  third  coming,  than  his  various  appearances  before  his 
incarnation  could  be  called  his  first  coming.  Christ  did  "appear" 
to  Paul,  and  doubtless  to  others,  after  his  ascension,  and  he  will 
"appear"  again  to  all  his  Saints,  at  his  glorious  coming  and  king- 
dom to  dwell  with  them  in  regal  power  and  glory  and  dominion 
forever  and  ever.  These  events  will  differ,  not  in  regard  to  their 
literality,  or  being  personal,  but  in  the  surrounding  circumstances, 
and  in  the  results. 

THE    SCRIPTURE    WHICH    SAITH. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  finds  a  "clash"  where  there  is  none;  and  in 
this  he  evidently  strives  to  excel.  He  says: 

"  In  the  Book  of  Ether,  sixth  chapter,  purporting  to  have  been  written 
many  centuries  before  the  first  advent,  and  to  have  been  translated  and 
transcribed  by  Moroni,  we  read  concerning  the  Scripture  which  saith,  there 
are  they  who  were  first,  who  shall  be  last  f  and  there  are  they  who  were  last, 
who  shall  be  first.  Mark  this  point,  [says  Mr.  S.],  as  none  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment Scriptures  were  then  written,  what  scriptures  can  here  be  referred  to 
but  those  in  the  New  Testament,  where  we  find  similar  language." 

In  reply  we  have  to  say,  first,  that  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
do  not  contain  all  the  scriptures,  as  Mr.  Sheldon  would  seem  to 
claim;  and  in  the  second  place,  the  words  he  quotes  are  the  words 
of  Moroni,  who  lived  four  hundred  years  after  Christ,  and  are 
not  the  u-ortfs  of  Ethrr,  as  he  falsely  claims;  and  lastly  they  are  not 
the  words  of  the  New  Testament  at  all. 

"NO    VARIABLENESS." 

He  next  objects: 

"  In  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  we  read,  Tor  do  we  not 
read  that  God  is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever,  and  in  him  is  no- 
variableness,  neither  shadow  of  changing?"  Yes,  [says  Mr.  S.],  we  'read'  itr 
but  where?  In  the  New  Testament,  which  claimed  to  be  unknown  to  Mor- 
mon." 

If  Mr.  Sheldon  had  been  as  eager  to  learn  the  genuine  spirit  and 
doctrine  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  as  he  has  been  to  conjure  up 
faults,  and  to  manufacture  errors,  he  would  have  found  divers 
places  where  the  sentiments  of  the  passage  he  quotes  are  written. 

In  Mosiah  1  :  8,  is  a  passage  having  this  import;  and  in  Nephi 
11  :  1:  "I  am  the  Lord,  I  change  not;"  and  in  2  Nephi  12  :  7:  "I 
am  the  same  yesterday,  to-day  and  forever;"  and  then  in  Alma  5:3: 
"Neither  doth  he  vary  from  that  which  he  hath  said;  neither  hath 


PLAGIARISM  CHARGED.  21 

he  a  shadow  of  turning  from  the  right  to  the  left."  Moroni  pro- 
fessed to  quote  only  the  sense  of  what  they  read,  and  not  letter  for 
letter;  and  surely  he  had  abundant  grounds,  as  we  have  seen,  from 
the  records  of  his  fathers. 

In  the  next  place  he  objects  to  the  following  passage  found  in 
Moroni  8:2:  "The  wnole  need  no  physician,  but  they  that  are 
sick;"  "language  borrowed,  [he  says],  from  the  Savior." 

Now  the  text,  with  its  context,  reads  as  follows: 

"And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  to  me  [Mormon]  by  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  saying,  listen  to  the  words  of  Christ,  your  Redeemer,  your  Lord  and 
your  God.  Behold,  I  came  into  the  world,  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sin- 
ners to  repentance ;  the  whole  need  no  physician,  but  they  that  are  sick;  where- 
fore little  children  are  whole,  for  they  are  not  capable  of  committing  sin." 

Here  we  see  that  the  passage  does  not  purport  to  be  "borrowed" 
from  any  place,  but  that  it  was  a  direct  revelation  from  Christ  to 
Mormon. 

If  we  are  to  condemn  the  Book  of  Mormon  because  sentiments 
and  phrases  are  found  in  it  similar  to  those  found  in  the  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  then  we  may  condemn  the  Book  of  Micah,  be- 
cause in  its  fourth  chapter  there  is  found  a  prophecy  similar  in 
sense  and  letter  to  that  found  in  Isaiah  chapter  second.  We  may 
go  further  and  condemn  the  Bible  because  in  it  are  phrases  and 
sentiments  similar  to  those  found  in  the  Brahmin's  Veda,  which 
claims  to  be  the  oldest  of  books,  and  which  was  compiled  as  early, 
at  least,  as  B.  C.  1200.  In  it  is  a  prayer  similar  to  that  taught  by 
our  Savior,  and  reads:  "O  God  have  mercy,  give  me  my  daily 
bread." — Rig-Veda  6  :  47.  Shall  we  say  that,  because  Jesus 
taught  similarly,  he  therefore  "borrowed"  from  the  Veda?  We 
should,  if  we  adopted  the  reasoning  of  Mr.  Sheldon.  Again,  (Rig- 
Veda  9:  113,  7):  "Where  life  is  free,  in  the  third  heaven  of  heavens, 
where  the  worlds  are  radiant,  there  make  me  immortal."  The  logic 
of  Mr.  Sheldon  would  make  David  and  Paul  borrow  some  of  these 
ideas,  and  some  of  this  language  from  the  Rig-Veda! 

ZEXD-AVESTA. 

Again;  in  the  Zend-Avesta  there  are  many  ideas  and  phrases 
similar  to  what  is  found  in  both  the  Old  and  New  Testaments.  Of 
this  Dr.  Haug  remarks: 

"  The  Zoroastrian  religion  exhibits  a  very  close  affinity  to,  or  rather  iden- 
tity with,  several  important  doctrines  of  the  Mosaic  religion  and  Christian- 
ity."— Chips  from  a  German  Workshop,  p.  125. 

There  is  one  place  in  it  where  the  Supreme  Spirit  proclaims  him- 
self "I  am  who  I  am;" — a  similar  name  to  that  of  Jehovah  given 


22  CHRISTIAN. 

in  Ex.  3  :14.  Shall  we  argue  from  these  coincidences  that  the 
Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  or  any  part  of  them, 
have  heen  copied — "borrowed" — from  those  ancient  books?  The 
fallacious  method  of  reasoning  adopted  by  Mr.  Sheldon  would 
force  us  to  do  so. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  claims  that  the  same  God  who  inspired 
the  prophets  and  seers  in  Judea,  inspired  prophets  and  seers  in 
America  whose  writings  we  find  in  the  Book  of  Mormon.  This 
being  true,  it  is  no  wonder  that  we  find  the  same  general  ideas  and 
the  same  doctrines  and  phrases  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  that  we 
find  in  the  Bible.  Of  this  the  Lord  says: 

"  Wherefore,  I  speak  the  same  words  unto  one  nation  like  unto  another. 
And  when  the  two  nations  shall  run  together,  the  testimony  of  the  two  na- 
tions shall  run  together  also.  And  I  do  this  that  I  may  prove  unto  many, 
that  I  am  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever;  and  that  I  speak  forth  my 
words  according  to  mine  own  pleasure." — 2  Nephi  12:  7. 

Will  Mr.  Sheldon  have  us  believe  that  two  or  more  revelations 
from  God  to  as  many  different  persons,  at  as  many  different  times, 
touching  the  same  things,  must  differ  in  sentiment,  and  in  phraseol- 
ogy! 

It  would  seem  so,  for  he  is  condemning  the  Book  of  Mormon  on 
the  ground  that  in  it  are  found  sentiments  and  phrases  similar  to> 
those  found  in  the  Bible. 

CHRISTIAN. 

Here  comes  another  insurmountable  stumbling  block  in  the  way 
of  Mr.  Sheldon.  He  says: 

"  The  Book  of  Mormon  blunders  into  the  claim  that  about  one  hundred 
years  before  the  first  advent,  the  name  'Christian'  was  in  common  use  on 
this  continent ;  thus  clashing  with  the  Bible  which  affirms,  'the  disciples 
were  first  called  Christians  at  Antioch.'" — Acts  11 :  26. 

That  the  disciples,  upon  the  eastern  continent,  were  "first  called 
Christians  at  Antioch,"  we  do  not  deny;  and  that  this  was  all  that 
Luke  intended  must  be  apparent  to  every  fair-minded  reader.  Luke 
did  not  claim  to  write  by  revelation  or  prophecy,  nor  of  any  other 
of  Christ's  disciples  than  those  connected  with  the  church  whose 
origin  and  central  seat  was  in  Jerusalem  and  its  vicinity;  and  as  a 
historian  he  only  wrote  of  facts  as  he  knew  and  believed  them.  He 
referred  only  to  those  connected  with  the  Church  of  Christ  on  the 
eastern  continents,  and  did  not  profess  to  know  or  write  of  matters 
other  than  that.  But  the  statement  that  people  on  this  continent 
were  called  Christians,  even  "one  hundred  years  before  the  first  Ad- 
vent," Mr.  Sheldon  can  not  disprove.  The  very  name,  as  well  as 


THE  PLATES.  23 

the  doctrine  and  mission  of  Christ,  was  known  hundreds  of  years 
before  the  first  Advent.  So  also  that  other  prominent  New  Testa- 
ment name  of  our  Savior,— "Son  of  God." — Dan.  3:  25;  Ps.  2:  7. 
If  the  leading  New  Testament  names  of  our  Savior  were  known 
and  used  so  long  before'  the  first  Advent,  why  should  it  be  thought 
incredible  that  one  of  the  leading  New  Testament  names  of  his 
disciples  should  likewise  be  known  and  used  equally  as  long  before? 
The  Nephites  foreknew  the  name,  and  mission,  and  peculiar  doc- 
trines of  Christ,  hundreds  of  years  before  the  Advent,  and  they 
lived  in  conformity  with  his  gospel,  and  why  might  they  not  be 
called  by  a  name  in  their  language  that  was  the  exact  equivalent 
of  the  English  word  "Christian;"  that  is,  disciples  of  the  Anointed 
One?  For  my  part  I  can  see  no  reason  against  it,  but,  on  the  oth- 
er hand,  many  good  reasons  for  it.  Eusebius,  the  first  and  chief  of 
ancient  church  historians,  informs  us  that: 

"The  very  name  of  Jesus,  as  also  that  of  Christ,  was  honored  by  the  pious 
prophets  of  old.  *  *  *  Moses  attaches  the  name  of  our  Savior  Jesus  Christ; 
*  *  *  the  prophets  that  lived  subsequently  to  these  times,  also  plainly  an- 
nounced Christ  before  by  name." — Eccl.  Hist.  pp.  21,  22. 

Again  he  says: 

"  For  as  the  name  Christian  is  intended  to  indicate  this  very  idea,  that  a 
man,  by  the  knowledge  and  doctrine  of  Christ,  is  distinguished  by  modesty 
and  justice,  by  patience  and  a  virtuous  fortitude,  and  by  a  profession  of  piety 
towards  the  one  and  only  true  and  supreme  God ;  all  this  was  no  less  stu- 
diously cultivated  by  them  than  by  us." — p.  26. 

Moses,  we  are  told  by  Paul,  esteemed  "the  reproach  of  [for] 
Christ  greater  riches  than  the  treasures  of  Egypt." — Heb.  IT:  26. 
Moses  knew  something  of  Christ  and  of  his  doctrine,  as  did,  no 
doubt,  some  of  his  people.  That  the  ancients  knew  of  Christ  and 
his  work  is  seen  in  the  following  texts  :  John  8:  56;  Job  19:  25; 
1  Cor.  10:  4;  1  Pet.  1:  10-12;  John  1:  24,  25,  41,  45;  4:  25;  7:  40 
-42;  Mark  12:  35;  Luke  3:  15,  etc.,  etc. 

THE    PLATES. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  undertakes  to  make  a,  conflict  between  the 
Book  of  Mormon  and  the  testimony  of  Joseph,  in  regard  to  the 
disposal  of  the  plates  after  Joseph  translated  them.  The  Book  of 
Mormon  says  concerning  Joseph: 

"Wherefore,  when  thou  hast  read  the  words  which  I  have  commanded 
thee,  and  obtained  the  witness  which  I  have  promised  thee,  then  shalt  thou 
seal  up  the  book  again  and  hide  it  up  unto  me." 

Now  Mr.  Sheldon  says  that  it  is  claimed  by  Mr.  John  Taylor 
that  the  plates  "when  he  [Joseph]  got  through  translating,  they 
were  delivered  again  to  the  angel."  "So  [says  Mr.  S.],  he  did  not 


24  THE  WISE  VIRGINS. 

hide  up  the  plates,  as  stated  in  the  Book  of  Mormon."  The  Book 
of  Mormon  does  not  state,  nor  even  intimate,  the  manner  in  which 
Joseph  was  to  "hide  up"  the  plates.  There  are  very  many  ways  in 
which  we  may  "hide  up"  plates,  or  other  things,  without  putting 
them  into  the  ground  as  is  urged  by  Mr.  Sheldon. 

To  hide  up  anything  is  to  conceal,  secure,  or  screen  it  f rcm  pub- 
lic observation.  This  was  certainly  done  when  the  plates  were 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  angel.  They  were  then  hid  up  unto  the 
Lord,  just  as  the  text  provides. 

THE    THREE    DISCIPLES. 

Mr.  Sheldon  objects  that  Jesus  is  made  to  say  to  three  of  his 
disciples: 

"  Ye  shall  never  endure  the  pains  of  death;  but  when  I  come  in  my  glory, 
ye  shall  be  changed  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  from  mortality  to  immortal- 
ity."—Nephi  13:  3. 

And  that: 

"  In  the  next  paragraph  it  is  added,  'whether  they  were  mortal  or  immor- 
tal, from  the  day  of  their  transfiguration  I  know  not.'  *  *  Nephi  says  he 
did  not  know  whether  they  were  mortal  or  immortal — equivalent  to  saying 
that  he  did  not  know  whether  Christ  lied  or  told  the  truth." 

It  is  not  infrequent  that  people,  even  disciples  of  Christ,  are  told 
that  which  they  do  not  fully  understand  when  told.  Jesus  told  his 
disciples  in  Judea  to  go  and  "preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature;" 
yet  it  required  no  less  than  a  miracle,  and  another  command,  to 
make  Peter  know,  fully,  the  nature  and  scope  of  his  mission,  (Acts 
10:  19-35.  Jesus  foretold  the  facts  of  his  own  death  and  resurrec- 
tion, yet  his  disciples  did  not  intelligently  believe  him  on  this  point 
till  after  his  resurrection  and  appearance  unto  them. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  who  professes  to  be  a  disciple  of  Christ,  does  not 
believe  in  a  pre-millennial  kingdom,  yet  Christ  plainly  teaches  it 
in  Matthew  25  :  1;  13:  47-49  and  elsewhere.  The  kingdom,  like 
the  "church,"  "family,"  "fold,"  or  "household"  of  Christ,  may  exist 
on  earth  and  in  heaven  at  the  same  time.  This  theory  is  in  full 
harmony  with  the  scriptures. 

Mr.  Sheldon  also  believes  that  the  Adventists  are  the  "wise  vir- 
gins" of  Matthew  25:  4,  and  that  they,  since  A.D.  1833,  have  been 
sounding  the  midnight  cry;  whereas  Christ  says  the  midnight  cry 
oomes  to  [not  from]  the  wise,  as  well  as  to  the  foolish  virgins,  and 
that  it  finds  them  asleep  or  slumbering.  Mr.  Sheldon  believes  that 
while  they  have  been  sounding  their  midnight  cry  for  the  past  forty 
and  more  years,  Christ,  "the  bridegroom  tarried;"  whereas  Christ 
says  that  after  the  midnight  cry  is  made,  there  is  no  tarrying,  and  that 


ZARAHEMLAITES.  25 

so  sudden  would  be  the  coming  of  the  bridegroom  that  the  foolish 
virgins  would  not  have  time  to  get  the  needed  oil  to  fill  their  lamps. 
Now  because  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his  co-religionists  believe  contrary 
to  what  Christ  says,  or  because  they  at  least  fail  to  believe  what 
he  does  say,  would  it  not  be  indelicate,  not  to  say  unchristian-like, 
for  us  to  charge  that  their  want  of  intelligent  belief  is  "equivalent 
to  saying  that  they  did  not  know  whether  Christ  lied  or  told  the 
truth."  He  and  his  kind  have  set  scores  of  times  since  1833,  giving 
the  year,  and  sometimes  the  very  day  in  which  Christ  would  come, 
all  of  which  have  failed,  proving  them  "blind  guides"  having 
neither  knowledge  nor  authority  to  teach  the  second  Advent.  And 
yet  we  will  not  say  they  "lied." 

ZARAHEMLAITES. 

Here  another  terrible  fault  is  conjured  up.     He  says: 

"  The  first  chapter  of  the  Book  of  Omni  represents  Mosiah  as  going  from 
the  land  of  Nephi  to  Zarahemla,  about  three  hundred  years  after  Nephi 
reached  America,  'and  they  discovered  a  people  who  were  called  the  people 
of  Zarahernla.  Now  there  was  great  rejoicing  among  the  people  of  Zarahemla; 
and  also  Zarahemla  did  rejoice  exceedingly  because  the  Lord  had  sent  the 
people  of  Mosiah  with  the  plates  of  brass  which  contained  the  record  of  the 
Jews.'  In  the  next  paragrapn  we  are  told,  [says  Mr.  Sheldon],  their  lan- 
guage had  become  corrupted;  and  they  had  brought  no  records  with  them; 
and  they  denied  the  being  of  their  Creator;  and  Mosiah,  nor  the  people  of 
Mosiah  could  understand  them.  Yet,  [says  Mr.  Sheldon],  the  same  para- 
graph tells  us  that  they  came  out  of  Jerusalem  at  the  time  Zedekiah  was 
taken  to  Babylon — about  three  hundred  years  previously.  At  this  time  they 
rejoiced  that  the  Lord  had  sent  Mosiah,  and  yet  did  not  1  elieve  that  there 
was  a  Lord  in  existence.  Glad  of  the  records/yet  could  not  understand  each 
other's  language — their  language  having  been  so  corrupted  in  a  little  over 
three  hundred  years." 

A  more  shameful  effort  at  garbling  texts  is  seldom,  if  ever,  seen 
than  this.  It  would  put  the  most  unblushing  infidel  critic  to 
shame.  Amleki  records  the  fact  that  Mosiah,  being  warned  of 
God,  fled  out  of  the  land  of  Nephi  and  went  to  the  land  of  Zara- 
hemla, both  he  and  others  who  accompanied  him: 

"  And  they  discovered  a  people  who  were  called  the  people  of  Zarahemla. 
Now,  there  was  great  rejoicing  among  the  people  of  Zarahemla ;  and  also 
Zarahemla  did  rejoice  exceedingly,  because  the  Lord  had  sent  the  people  of 
Mosiah  with  the  plates  of  brass  which  contained  a  record  of  the  Jews." 

This  "great  rejoicing"  took  place  evidently,  not  when  the  people 
were  first  discovered  by  Mosiah  and  his  company,  but  when  the 
people  of  Zarahemla  became  acquainted  thoroughly  with  the  new 
immigrants, — their  doctrines  and  their  tidings, — as  we  shall  further 
see  : 

"  Behold,  it  came  to  pass  that  Mosiah  discovered  that  the  people  of  Zara- 


26  PLATES  OF  ETHER. 

hernia  came  out  from  Jerusalem  at  the  time  that  Zedekiah,  king  of  Judah , 
was  carried  away  into  Babylon.  *  *  *  And  at  the  time  that  Mosiah  discovered 
them,  they  had  become  exceeding  numerous.  Nevertheless  they  had  many 
wars  and  serious  contentions,  and  had  fallen  by  the  sword  from  time  to 
time,  and  their  language  had  bee  >me  corrupted  ;  and  they  had  brought  no 
records  with  them;  and  they  denied  the  being  of  their  Creator ;  and  Mosiah, 
nor  the  people  of  Mosiah,  could  understand  them.  But  it  came  to  pass  that 
Mosiah  caused  that  they  should  be  taught  in  his  language." 

There  is  nothing  contradictory  in  this  brief  narrative;  neither 
anything  impossible  or  incredible.  Amleki  first  states  the  fact  of 
the  discovery  of  Zarahemla  and  his  people,  and  then  states,  as  one 
of  the  results,  that  there  was  "great  rejoicing."  But  he  does  not 
intimate  that  this  rejoicing  took  place  immediately  upon  the  dis- 
covery, but  after  the  people  of  Zarahemla  could  understand  Mosiali 
and  his  people,  and  had  been  instructed  by  them.  Furthermore,  it 
was  at  the.  time  of  their  discovery,  and  also  before  it,  that  the  people 
of  Zarahemla  "denied  the  being  of  their  Creator;"  and  at  that  time 
it  was  that  "the  people  of  Mosiah"  could  not  understand  them. 

CHANGE    IX    LAXGUAGE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  argues  that  it  is  incredible  that  these  two  peoples,, 
having  a  common  origin,  coming  from*  the  same  country  about 
three  hundred  years  before,  could  have  so  corrupted  their  language 
as  not  to  understand  each  other.  If  Mr.  Sheldon  was  informed  in 
philology,  or  was  very  observant  of  current  facts,  he  would  know 
that  there  was  nothing  improbable  in  it,  especially  when  we  con- 
sider that  they  of  Zarahemla  "brought  no  records  with  them." 
Language  changes,  constantly  among  all  nations,  and  among  some 
far  more  rapidly  than  with  others;  and  that,  too,  where  they  have 
an  extensive  literature — or  "records."  It  would  be  next  to  impos- 
sible for  the  English  speaking  nations  of  to-day  to  understand  the 
English  of  but  a  few  hundred  years  ago.  So  great  have  been  the 
changes  of  language  in  England,  alone,  that  people  from  one  Shire 
can  not  well  understand  those  of  another.  The  languages  of  men,, 
like  their  forms  of  religion,  are  subject  to  rapid  and  extensive 
change.  Max  Muller,  M.  A.,  Fellow  of  All  Souls'  College,  Oxford,. 
England,  a  competent  authority  says: 

"The  meaning  of  words  changes  imperceptibly  and  irresistibly.  Even 
where  there  is  a  literature,  and  a  printed  literature,  like  that  of  modern  Eu- 
rope, four  or  five  centuries  work  such  a  change  that  few  even  of  the  most 
learned  divines  in  England  would  find  it  easy  to  read  and  to  understand 
accurately  a  theological  treatise  written  in  England  four  hundred  years  ago. 
The  same  happened,  and  happened  to  a  far  greater  extent,  in  ancient  lan- 
guages. Nor  was  the  sacred  character,  attributed  to  certain  writings,  any 
safeguard." — Chips  From  a  German  Workshop,  p  130. 


DEFECTS  IN  BIBLE.  27 

These  facts  amount  to  conclusive  proof  in  favor  of  what  is  said 
in  regard  to  the  language  of  the  people  of  Zarahemla  having  be- 
come so  changed  and  corrupted  as  stated  by  Amleki. 


PLATES    OF    ETHER. 


Mr.  Sheldon,  in  the  following,  undertakes  to  show  that  there  are 
very  damaging  contradictions  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  in  its  state- 
ments concerning  the  plates  written  and  hid  up  by  Ether.  Now  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind  that  one  class  of  these  statements  is  pro- 
phetic,— foretelling  what  should  occur  with  the  plates, — another, 
giving  commands  touching  their  disposal;  and,  lastly,  the  purely 
historical  account  of  their  origin,  transmission  and  final  disposi- 
tion. Whilst  the  first  claims  to  be  fully  inspired,  the  latter  makes 
no  such  claim.  Prophecy  and  history  are  two  quite  different  things 
The  one  claims  absolute  divine  perfection,  in  its  sense,  its  import, 
and  in  all  its  facts;  while  history — Bible  history — Scripture  history 
— seldom  makes  such  claim.  Scripture  history  claims  to  be  essen- 
tially true  in  its  statements,  but  it  does  not  usually  claim  to  have 
been  written  with  such  full  measure  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  to  secure 
it  against  verbal  errors,  and  even  errors  in  some  of  its  minor  and 
unimportant  facts. 


DEFECTS    IN    SCRIPTURE. 


When  we  reflect  one  moment  upon  the  discrepancies — omissions 
and  contradictions — between  the  Books  of  the  Chronicles  and  the 
Books  of  the  Kivr/s,  between  the  four  several  gospels,  and  between 
the  four  gospels  and  the  Acts;  also  between  the  Acts  and  the  Old' 
Testament  history,  we  see  the  folly  of  claiming  for  the  writers  of 
those  books  what  they  never  claim  for  themselves;  i.  e.,  full  and 
absolute  inspiration. 

As  to  prophecy,  holy  men  and  women  speak  as  they  are  "moved 
upon  by  the  Holy  Ghost;"  but  history  is  a  narration  of  matters  as 
the  writers  know  them,  understand  them,  and  believe  them.  Hence 
Luke,  (Luke  1:  13),  thought  it  good  to  write  what  he  knew,  and 
believed,  and  had  a  "perfect  understanding  of,"  as  it  had  been  de- 
livered to  him  by  those  who  "from  the  beginning  were  eye  witnesses 
and  ministers  of  the  word."  Luke  did  not  claim  to  write  by  direct 
revelation  from  God  to  himself,  but  simply  what  he  had  learned 
from  persons  who  were,  as  he  believed  competent  witnesses.  Luke 
omits  many  facts  found  in  the  three  other  gospels,  but  these  omis- 
sions do  not  invalidate  anything  he  may  have  written,  and  no  one 
but  a  quibbling  critic  would  argue  as  much.  The  evangelists  differ 
widely  in  regard  to  the  crucifixion  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  yet 


28  PLATES  AND  INTERPRETERS. 

this  difference  arises  mainly,  if  not  entirely,  from  omissions — some 
failing  to  write  just  the  same  things  that  were  written  by  others. 
In  the  Acts  three  different  accounts  are  given  of  the  conversion  of 
Saul,  9:  3-20;  22:  6-16;  26:  12-18.)  In  these  there  is  considerable 
discrepancy,  and  some  direct  contradiction  in  the  common  version. 
This  could  not  occur  if  all  Scripture  history  was  fully  inspired  of 
God.  Again  Paul,  that  faithful,  devoted  servant  of  Christ,  takes 
occasion  to  inform  us  that  some  of  his  writings  were  not  indited 
under  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit. — (1  Cor.  7:  6,  12,  25,  40; 
2  Cor.  8:  8;  11:  17,  &c.) 

Now,  inasmuch  as  Bible  historians  did  not  always  profess  to 
write  under  the  full  inspiration  of  God's  unerring  Spirit,  are  we 
justified  in  demanding  of  those  who  wrote  Scripture  history  on  this 
continent  that  their  historical  writings  shall  be  so  fully  and  per- 
fectly inspired  of  God,  as  to  be  absolutely  full  and  complete,  and 
without  error  in  letter,  or  defect  in  matter?  We  think  not. 
Such  a  claim  by  those  well  versed  in  Scripture  matters  exhibits 
unfairness  or  prejudice.  But  we  do  not  admit  the  contradictions 
claimed  by  Mr.  Sheldon.  We  utterly  deny  them,  except,  possibly 
in  one  point,  and  that  one  of  no  essential  historic  value. 

He  says: 

1.  "Moroni  says  the  plates  found  by  the  people  of  Limhi  were  kept  by 
king  Benjamin,  that  the  world  should  not  see  them  ;  but  the  book  of  Mosiah 
says  that  the  people  of  Limhi  did  not  find  the  plates  till  after  king  Benjamin 
was  dead. 

2.  "Moroni  testifies  that  they  were  not  to  be  translated  till  after  Christ 
was  'lifted  up  upon  the  cross;'  but  the  book  of  Mosiah  informs  us  that  they 
were  translated  by  king  Mosiah,  'and  caused  to  be  written/  even  hundreds 
of  years  before  the  crucifixion  ;  and  yet  Moroni  pretends  to  translate  them 
again  after  the  cross. 

3.  "Moroni  informs  us  that  the  stone  interpreters  of  the  brother  of  Jared 
were  sealed  up  with  the  plates;  but  the  book  of  Mosiah  makes  no  mention 
of  finding  stones  with  the  plates,  though  Ammon  talks  to  Limhi  about  stone 
interpreters  possessed  by  Mosiah  off  in  a  distant  land.    What  became  of  these 
sealed  interpreters? 

4.  "  Moroni  tells  us  that  Jared's  brother's  stone  interpreters  were  sealed  up 
with  the  plates  that  Limhi's  people  found,  for  the  express  purpose  of  enabl- 
ing the  finders  to  translate  them  ;  yet,  according  to  the  book  of  Mosiah,  the 
finders  could  not  translate  them,  not  finding  with  the  plates  anything  but 
swords  and  breast-plates  ;  and  finally,  Ammon  tells  king  Limhi  that  Mosiah 
'hath  wherewith  he  can  translate,'  called  interpreters  ;  and  after  a  while  the 
plates  are  carried  over  to  Mosiah  in  Zarahemla,  and  Mosiah  translates  them 
with  his  own  interpreters  'set  in  two  rims  of  a  bow.'     But  what  became  of 
the  interpreters  that  were  sealed  up  with  those  plates  found  by  Limhi's 
people? 

5.  "  Mosiah  not  only  had  interpreters  before  receiving  the  twenty-four 
plates  found  by  the  people  of  Limhi,  but  he  had  previously  exercised  his 
gift  of  interpreting  languages,  and  his  uncle  before  him,  also,  by  which  Am- 


PLATES  AND  INTERPRETERS.  29 

mon  knew  that  he  possessed  this  gift ;  and  an  instance  is  given  of  its  exercise 
in  a  book  written  by  Omni,  before  the  book  of  Mosiah :  'And  it  came  to  pass 
in  the  days  of  Mosiah,  there  was  a  large  stone  brought  unto  him,  with  en- 
gravings on  it;  and  he  did  interpret  the  engravings,  by  the  gift  and  power 
of  God.'  So  Mosiah  did  not  need  the  interpreters  of  Jared's  brother;  but 
still  the  question  continues  to  come  up,  since  they  were  sealed  at  God's  bid- 
ding, what  became  of  them  ?  And  as  Moroni  claims  to  have  had  them, 
where  did  he  get  them?  After  Moroni  represents  God  as  saying  to  Jared's 
brother,  'These  two  stones  will  I  give  unto  thee,  and  ye  shall  seal  them  up 
also' — that  is,  with  the  plates — 'wherefore  I  will  cause  in  mine  own  due  time 
that  these  stones  shall  magnify  to  the  eyes  of  men  these  things  which  ye  shall 
write.'  Moroni  adds,  'After 'Christ  had  truly  showed  himself  unto  his  peo- 
ple, he  commanded  that  they  should  be  made  manifest.  *  *  *  Behold  I 
have  written  upon  those  plates  the  very  things  that  the  brother  of  Jared 
saw.'  Again  he  adds,  'I  am  commanded  that  I  should  hide  them  up  again 
in  the  earth,  *  *  *  and  he  also  hath  commanded  that  I  should  seal  up  the 
interpretation  thereof;  wherefore  I  have  sealed  up  the  interpreters.'  Where 
did  he  get  them,  seeing  they  were  not  found  when  the  people  of  Limhi 
found  the  twenty-four  plates,  with  which  they  were  hid? 

6.  "Mosiah's  stone  interpreters,  'set  in  two  rims  of  a  bow/  which  he  pos- 
sessed previous  to  the  finding  of  these  twenty-four  plates  by  the  people  of 
Limhi, 'were  prepared  from  the  beginning,  and  were  handed  down  from  gen- 
eration to  generation,  for  the  purpose  of  interpreting  languages'  (Mosiah, 
12th  chapter) ;  while  the  two  stones  possessed  by  the  brother  of  Jared  were 
given  to  him  by  the  Lord  after  confounding  the  language  at  the  tower,  with- 
out any  'rims  of  a  bow.'  But  when  Nephi  came  to  America,  he  was  very 
careful  to  tell  us  about  bringing  Laban's  sword,  Lehi's  compass,  and  the  brass 
plates  taken  from  Laban,  but  not  a  word  about  these  precious  stone  inter- 
preters, which  'were  prepared  from  the  beginning,  and  were  handed  down 
from  generation  to  generation.'  Where  did  Mosiah  get  his  interpreters, 
seeing  they  were  not  imported  from  Jerusalem,  and  seeing  preceding  gener- 
ations on  this  continent  were  unknown  to  him  till  after  he  possessed  those 
interpreters?  Here  is  another  puzzle,  or  crooked  story." 

Precisely,  Mr.  Sheldon.  As  you  have  rendered  it,  it  is  a  "puz- 
zle;" and  as  you  have  perverted  it,  it  is  a  "crooked  story."  It  is  a 
fair  specimen  of  your  work.  Your  garbled  quotations,  your  unfair 
inferences  and  brazen  misstatements,  have  perverted  the  facts  and 
quite  distorted  the  entire  account. 

Allowing  that,  possibly,  there  is  a  mistake,  (as  in  Matthew  27:9, 
where  "Jeremy"  is  given  in  place  of  Zechariah),  in  the  person's 
-name,  who  is  said  to  have  kept  the  plates  of  Ether  and  the  inter- 
preters, Ether  1:  11),  a  matter  of  no  historical  moment  as  affecting 
the  value  of  the  record, — (Moroni  claims  to  be  writing  only  a  small 
abridgment,  Ether  1:1,  and  to  write  from  memory,  Ether  2:  1,  and 
no  intimation  is  given  that  he  writes  in  a  way  to  preclude  pos- 
sibility of  verbal  errors,  such  as  in  names,  etc.;  besides  it  may 
have  been  an  error  of  the  printer  in  setting  up  the  text,  and  not  at 
first  discovered,  but  in  some  later  editions,  such  as  the  third  Eu- 
ropean, it  reads  Mosiah  instead  of  Benjamin.)  Allowing  that  it 


so     im  OMISSIONS,  ^3i;i™  m  ^^:  « 

should  have  been  Mosiah  instead  of  Benjamin,  your  second  state- 
ment is  quite  untrue,  viz,  that  Moroni  said  "they  [the  plates]  were 
not  to  be  translated  till  after  Christ  was  'lifted  up  upon  the  cross.' " 
It  was  not  the  plates  of  Ether,  as  a  whole,  but  the  remarkable  things 
seen  and  heard  by  the  brother  of  Jared  when  in  the  presence  of  the 
Lord  upon  the  mount: 

"And  the  Lord  commanded  the  brother  of  Jared  to  go  down  out  of  the 
mount  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  write  the  things  which  he  had 
seen  [in  the  mount]  ;  and  they  were  forbidden  to  come  unto  the  children  of 
men,  until  after  that  he  should  be  lifted  up  upon  the  cross ;  and  for  this  cause 
did  King  Benjamin  keep  them,  that  they  should  not  come  unto  the  world 
until  after  Christ  should  shew  himself  unto  his  people." — Ether  1:  11. 

Your' statement  that  "Moroni  pretends  to  translate  them  [the 
plates]  again  after  the  cross,"  is  wholly  without  foundation.  The 
account  states  that  he  abriftgerf  what  he  found  on  the  plates  of  Ether; 
and  he  professed  to  give  but  a  part  jjily  of  what  he  there  found,  but 
not  the  marvellous  things  which  the  brother  of  Jared  saw  when  up 
in  the  mount.  Ether  1:11. 

"I  [Moroni]  give  not  the  full  account,  but  a  part  of  the  account  I  give, 
from  the  tower  down  until  they  [the  Jaredites]  were  destroyed." — Ether  1:1. 

See  also  paragraph  9. 

OMISSIONS. 

You  next  state  that  "the  Book  of  Mosiah  makes  no  mention  of 
finding  stones  [interpreters]  with  the  plates."  Suppose  it  does 
not,  does  that  omission  prove  that  they  were  not  with  the  plates? 
It  proves  nothing  of  the  kind.  Matthew  omits  many  things  con- 
cerning Jesus  which  John  and  others  mention.  These  omissions  by 
Matthew  disprove  nothing  written  by  John  and  others,  nor  do  they 
invalidate  either  account.  Paul,  in  the  description  of  his  remark- 
able conversion,  as  told  to  King  Agrippa,  (Acts  26;  12-19),  omits 
some  important  items  from  the  account  which  himself  gives  of  it 
at  another  time  before  the  Jews — (Acts  22:  6-16.)  He  omits  to 
tell  King  Agrippa  the  important  fact  that  he  was  blinded  by  "the 
glory  of  that  light,"  and  that  he  was  "led  by  the  hand  of  them 
that  were  with"  him.  He  omits  to  tell  how  Ananias  came  and  in- 
structed him,  and  said  unto  him,  "Brother  Saul,  receive  thy  sight;" 
and  how  Ananias  commanded  him  saying,  "Arise,  and  be  baptized, 
and  wash  away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord."  All 
these,  and  many  more  omissions  are  found  in  comparing  the  differ- 
ent accounts  of  Paul's  conversion,  but  these  do  not  invalidate  each 
other,  even  though  they  are  found  in  the  same  book,  and  written 
by  one  and  the  same  person. 

The  Book  of  Mosiah  is  simply  silent  upon  the  point  as  to  whether 


INTERPRETERS.— DIRECTORS.  3 1 

"the  two  stones"  given  to  Jared's  brother  were  found  by  the  people 
of  Limhi  with  the  twenty-four  gold  plates  of  Ether,  or  not,  yet  it 
is  implied,  from  Mosiah  12:  3,  that  they  were  with  the  plates  when 
found.  For  it  is  said: 

"And  now  he  [Mosiah]  translated  them  by  the  means  of  those  two  stones 
which  were  fastened  into  the  two  rims  of  a  bow." 

This  is  the  account  that  Mormon,  the  father  of  Moroni,  gives. 
He  is  the  one  who  translated  and  greatly  abridged  the  records 
handed  down  to  him;  and  he  says:  "I  can  not  write  the  hundredth 
part  of  the  things  of  my  people." — Words  of  Mormon  1:2.  It  is 
Mormon  who  says  that  Mosiah  translated  the  plates  found  by  the 
people  of  Limhi,  by  "means  of  those  stones  which  were  fastened 
into  the  rims  of  a  bow." 

STONE    INTERPRETERS. 

Your  next  statement  that  "Ammon  talks  to  Limhi  about  stone 
interpreters  possessed  by  Mosiah  off  in  a  distant  land,"  is  entirely 
untrue.  Ammon  does  not  mention  "stone  interpreters."  What 
he  said  to  Limhi,  touching  the  matter  of  translation,  reads  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  Now  Ammon  said  unto  him,  I  can  assuredly  tell  thee,  O  King,  of  a  man 
that  can  translate  the  records :  for  he  has  wherewith  he  can  look,  and  trans- 
late all  records  that  are  of  ancient  date  ;  and  this  is  a  gift  from  God." 

DIRECTORS. 

Now  Mosiah  they?rs^,  as  we  may  call  him,  who  was  a  great  pro- 
phet, and  who  lived  some  years  before  Mosiah  the  second,  was  pos- 
sessed of  the  gift  and  means  of  interpretation.  "He  did  interpret 
the  engravings  [found  upon  'a  large  stone']  by  the  gift  and  power 
of  God." — Omni  1:  9.  To  interpret  is  to  translate,  to  unfold,  to 
explain,  to  reveal,  to  make  known  what  before  was  hidden  or  mys- 
terious. That  this  means  was  handed  down  with  the  records  to 
Benjamin,  and  then  to  his  son  Mosiah,  is  highly  probable,  if  not 
absolutely  certain ;  for  we  read  that  "the  sacred  things,"  which  in- 
cluded "the  records  which  were  engraven  upon  the  plates  of  brass," 
[containing  the  five  books  of  Moses,  the  records  of  the  Jews  down 
to  the  first  of  Zedekiah,  also  the  prophecies  of  the  prophets  down 
to  and  including  much  of  the  prophecies  of  Jeremiah]  (<Y.]  "And 
also  the  plates  of  Nephi,  and  also  the  sword  of  Laban,  and  the  ball 
or  director,  wrhich  led  our  fathers  through  the  wilderness,  which 
was  prepared  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  that  they  thereby  might  be 
led,  even  according  to  the  heed  and  diligence  which  they  gave  unto 


(d)  1  Nephi  1:  46. 


32 .  INTERPRETERS. 

him"  (e),  were  to  be  "handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another, 
or  from  one  prophet  to  another."  ( /.) 

This  may  serve  to  explain  why  we  find  Mosiah  the  first  (</),  Mo- 
siah  the  second  (A),  and  Amaleki  (?'),  all  conversant  with  the  fact, 
and  possessing  the  means  of  interpreting  languages.  For  it  is  cer- 
tain that  the  wonderful  "directors"  given  to  Lehi,  and  "handed 
down  from  one  prophet  to  another,"  was  an  important  means  of 
revelation  and  divine  instruction  to  those  prophets.  In  describing 
their  importance  and  utility,  also  the  manner  in  which  instruction, 
guidance  and  revelation  were  obtained  by  them,  Nephi  says: 

"And  there  was  written  upon  them  a  new  writing,  which  was  plain  to  be 
read,  which  did  give  us  understanding  concerning  the  way  of  the  Lord  ;  and 
it  was  written  and  changed  from  time  to  time,  according  to  the  iaith  and 
diligence  we  gave  unto  it." — 1  Nephi  5:12. 

Here  is  a  mcmm  of  revelation  given  to  Lehi,  and  handed  down 
from  one  prophet  to  another,  reaching  Mosiah  the  second,  by  which 
we  see  that  he  had  a  means  of  interpretation  besides  the  "two 
stones"  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  plates  of  Ether.  Of  the 
character  of  these  "directors"  we  further  learn  by  Alma's  instruc- 
tion to  his  son  Helaman:  "And  now,  my  son,  these  directors  were 
prepared  that  the  word  of  God  might  be  fulfilled,  which  he  spake, 
saying,  I  will  bring  forth  out  of  darkness  unto  light,  all  their  secret 
works,  and  their  abominations."  Thus  we  see  again  that  they 
were  a  means  of  revelation,  so  that,  as  Ammon  said,  Mosiah  had 
"wherewith  he  can  look,  and  translate  all  records  that  are  of  an- 
cient date;  and  it  is  a  gift  of  God." 


But,  further,  it  is  not  impossible,  but  highly  probable,  that,  in 
the  providence  of  God,  the  very  "two  stones"  given  to  the  brother 
of  Jared  came  into  the  possession  of  Mosiah  the  first,  and  so  passed 
down  to  Mosiah  the  second;  and  that  he  had  them  prior  to  the  time 
of  his  receiving  tho  twenty-four  plates  of  Ether.  Coriantumr,  the 
last  of  the  Jaredites,  was  discovered  by  the  people  of  Zarahemla, 
and  "he  dwelt  with  them  for  the  space  of  nine  moons." — Omni  1: 
10.  By  this  we  learn  that  some  knowledge  of  the  Jaredites  was 
had  by  the  people  of  Zarahemla.  We  further  learn  that  something 
of  the  history  of  the  Jaredites  was  obtained  from  "a  large  stone." 
the  "engravings"  on  which  were  interpreted  by  Mosiah  the  first, — 
par.  9.  Here  are  channels  through  which  much  was  learned  by 
them  of  Zarahemla,  and  finally  by  them  of  Nephi  in  regard  to  the 

(e)  Mosiah  1:  3.         (/)  1  Nephi  5:  47.         (g)  Omni  1:  9. 
(h)  Mosiah  1 :  3.         (t)   Omni  1 :  12. 


PERVFftTS  HISTORY.  33 

Jaredites.  And  might  it  not  be  that  "the  two  stones"  given  to 
Jared's  brother  found  their  way  through  the  Zarahemlaites  to  Mo- 
siah  the  first,  and  so  to  Mosiah  the  second?  We  see  nothing  im- 
probable in  this;  certainly  nothing  impossible. 

"INTERPRETERS"    SEALED    UP. 

You  next  state  that  "Moroni  tells  us  that  Jared's  brother's  stone 
interpreters  were  sealed  up  with  the  plates  that  Limhi's  people 
found,  for  the  express  purpose  of  enabling  the  finders  to  translate 
them."  This  statement  is  not  true.  The  nearest  to  it  is  a  saying 
of  Moroni  concerning  the  Lord's  instructing  the  brother  of  Jared 
as  follows: 

"The  language  which  ye  shall  write  I  have  confounded;  wherefore  I  will 
cause  in  mine  own  due  time  that  these  stones  shall  magnify  to  the  eyes  of 
men,  these  things  which  ye  shall  write." — Ether  1 : 10. 

Your  next  statement  that  "the  finders  [meaning,  probably,  the 
people  of  Limhi]  could  not  translate  them,  not  finding  with  the 
plates  any  thing  but  swords  and  breast-plates,"  is  wholly  unwar- 
ranted. They  may  have  found  many  things  which  they  failed  to 
mention.  As  we  have  already  seen,  important  items  may  be  omit- 
ted in  an  account  without  vitiating  that  account. 

Luke,  in  giving  his  account  of  the  sermon  on  the  mount,  omits 
many  important  items  in  that  sermon  as  found  in  Mat- 
thew. What  folly  it  would  be  to  say  that  Jesus  really  taught 
at  that  time  only  what  Luke  mentions!  Also,  Luke  omits  a  part  of 
the  Lord's  prayer.  Matthew  fails  to  mention  the  fact,  time  and 
place  of  the  ascension  of  Christ.  Mark  omits  to  mention  the  earth- 
quake which  occurred  at  the  resurrection.  Matthew,  Luke  and 
John,  omit  to  mention  the  "young  man,  sitting  on  the  right  side, 
[in  the  sepulchre],  clothed  in  a  white  garment." — Mark  16:  5. 
And  all  but  John  fail  to  mention  the  "two  angels  in  white,  sitting,, 
the  one  at  the  head  and  the  other  at  the  feet,  where  the  body  of 
Jesus  had  lain."  Now  these  omissions  are  just  as  important  and 
just  as  damaging,  as  is  that  in  regard  to  the  stone  interpreters.  All 
you  can  say  in  truth  is  that  Mosiah  does  not  mention,  directly,  that 
the  stone  interpreters  were  found  by  the  people  of  Limhi  with  the 
twenty-four  plates  of  Ether.  To  say  more  than  this  is  unwarrant- 
able and  unfair. 

PERVERTS    HISTORY. 

We  pass  by  your  fifth  paragraph,  as  we  have  already  answered 
and  refuted  what  you  there  say.     However,  the  latter  part  of  that 
3 


34  INTERPRETERS. 

paragraph,  where  you  say  again  that  the  interpreters  "were  not 
found  when  the  people  of  Limhi  found  the  twenty-four  plates,  with 
which  they  were  hid,"  is  so  like  your  former  self  that  we  will  re- 
mind you  that  your  statement  is  naked,  groundless  assumption. 
With  characteristic  effrontery,  you  make  the  text  state  that  which 
is  not  there.  The  text  neither  states  nor  implies,  that  the  interpre- 
ters were  not  found  with  the  plates. 

MOSIAH'S  STONE  INTERPRETERS. 

You  assume,  as  usual,  that  "Mosiah's  stone  interpreters,"  "set  in 
two  rims  of  a  bow,"  which  you  say  he  possessed  previously  to  the 
finding  of  these  twenty-four  plates  by  the  people  of  Limhi,  were  not 
the  ones  given  to  the  brother  of  Jared.  This  we  have  before  shown 
is  utterly  groundless,  as  the  probabilities  are  that  they  were  the 
very  ones  given  to  the  brother  of  Jared,  and  were  either  found 
with  the  plates  by  the  people  of  Limhi,  or  came  down  to  Mosiah, 
the  second,  and  his  predecessors,  by  way  of  the  Zarahemlaites;  for 
the  Zarahemlaites  knew  of  the  history  of  the  Jaredites  through 
Coriantumr,  the  last  Jaredite  king,  as  also  through  their  writings 
on  stone,  as  we  have  already  seen. 

The  "beginning"  mentioned,  is  most  probably  the  beginning  of 
the  Jaredite  nation. 

INTERPRETERS,    HOW    OBTAINED. 

As  to  your  question: 

"  Where  did  Mosiah  get  his  interpreters,  seeing  they  were  not  imported 
out  of  Jerusalem,  and  seeing  that  preceding  generations  on  this  continent 
were  unknown  to  him  till  after  he  possessed  the  interpreters  ?" 

We  reply  as  before,  first,  he  had  two  ways  of  obtaing  the  inter- 
preters given  to  Jared's  brother,  as  we  have  already  seen;  and,  in 
the  next  place,  it  is  possible  he  used  the  "directors"  as  interpreters, 
for  we  have  seen  that  they  were  a  prominent  and  efficient  means  of 
divine  revelation.  And  as  to  your  assumption  that  "preceding 
generations  on  this  continent  were  unknown  to  him  [Mosiah]  till 
after  he  possessed  these  interpreters,"  namely,  those  deposited  with 
the  plates  found  by  the  people  of  Limhi),  we  reply  that  it  is  simp- 
ly false  to  the  record,  and  you  ought  to  know  it.  For,  as  we  have 
seen  before,  the  knowledge  concerning  the  Jaredites  came  by  the 
way  of  Coriantumr,  the  last  Jaredite  king,  who  lived  for  a  time 
with  the  Zarahemlaites,  who  finally  became  identified  with  the  Ne- 
phites;  and,  likewise,  by  means  of  the  history  translated  by  Mosiah, 
the  first,  from  that  "large  stone." 


35 


CHAPTER  II. 


JXSPIRED    TRANSLATION. 

Mr.  Sheldon  uses  a  large  part  of  his  second  chapter  in  an  en- 
deavor to  make  a  very  marked  contradiction  between  the  Book  of 
Mormon  and  the  Inspired  Translation  of  the  Bible,  in  the  teachings 
of  Christ.  He  claims  what  is  not  true,  that  the  Book  of  Mormon 
agrees  precisely  with  our  common  version  of  the  Bible  in  respect  to 
the  teachings  of  Jesus;  and  he  then  argues  that  if  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon and  the  Inspired  Translation  were  both  true,  and  divinely  in- 
spired, they  would  exactly  agree  in  language  and  in  fact. 

Now  it  happens  that  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  there  are  many 
things  taught  by  Christ  which  are  not  taught  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment at  all.  In  the  next  place  sentiments  taught  by  our  Savior  in 
the  New  Testament  are  found  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  clothed  in 
•quite  different  language.  For  instance: 


The  words  in  italics  are  not  found  in  the  New  Testament  of  the 
common  version;  but  in  both  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  Inspired 
Translation.  Again;  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  it  is  written: 

"  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said  by  them  of  old  time,  and  it  is  also 
written  before  you,  that  thou  shalt  not  kill ;  and  whosoever  shall  kill  shall  be 
in  danger  of  the  judgment  of  God." — Nephi  5 : 10. 

Again: 

"  Therefore,  if  ye  shall  come  unto  me,  or  shall  desire  to  come  unto  me,  and  re- 
memberest  that  thy  brother  hath  aught  against  thee,  go  thy  way  unto  thy 
brother,  and  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come  unto  me  with 
full  purpose  of  heart,  and  I  will  receive  you" — Ibid. 

As  before,  the  words  in  italics  are  not  found  in  the  common 
version,  nor  does  the  text  agree  exactly  with  the  Inspired  Transla- 
tion. 

Now  these  quotations,  with  scores  of  others  in  which  there  are 
striking  verbal  differences  between  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the 
common  version  in  regard  to  the  teachings  of  Christ,  show  con- 
clusively that  Joseph  Smith  did  not  copy  from  the  common  version, 
as  Mr.  Sheldon  boldly  and  impudently  asserts.  He  says:  "The 
fact  is,  when  preparing  the  Book  of  Mormon  our  version  was  freely 


36  TRANSLATIONS  COMPARED. 

used,  with  all  its  defects."     The  reader  can  judge  from  the  quota- 
tions given  how  much  of  truth  there  is  in  his  statement. 

The  Inspired  Translation  does  not  profess  to  be  a  translation  of 
or  from  the  Book  of  Mormon,  but  only  a  translation,  in  part,  of  the 
Bible;  therefore  we  may  not  look  for  verbal  agreement  even  where 
the  same  principles  and  sentiments  are  taught.  In  many  instances 
in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  texts  professedly  from  Moses  and  the  pro- 
phets are  found  to  differ  verbally,  and  sometimes  in  sentiment,  wide- 
ly, from  the  common  version.  For  instance: 

"  Hearken  and  hear  this,  0  house  of  Jacob,  who  are  called  by  the  name  of 
Israel,  and  are  come  forth  out  of  the  waters  of  Judah,  who  swear  by  the 
name  of  the  Lord,  and  make  mention  ol  the  God  of  Israel,  yet  they  swear  not 
in  truth  nor  in  righteousness  ;  nevertheless  they  call  themselves  of  the  holy 
city,  but  they  do  not  stay  themselves  upon  the  God  of  Israel,  who  is  the  Lord 
of  "Hosts:  Yea,  the  Lord  <>f  Hosts  is  his  name.  Behold,  I  have  declared  the 
former  things  from  the  beginning;  and  they  went  forth  out  of  my  mouth, 
and  I  shewed  them.  I  did  show  them  suddenly,  and  I  did  it  because  I  knew 
thou  wert  obstinate,  and  thy  neck  was  an  iron  sinew,  and  thy  brow  brass ; 
and  I  have,  even  from  the  beginning,  declared  to  thee,  before  it  came  to  pass 
I  shewed  them  thee  ;  and  shewed  them  for  fear  lest  thou  shouldst  say,  mine 
idol  hath  done  them,  and  my  graven  image,  and  my  molten  image  hath  com- 
manded them.  Thou  hast  seei  and  heard  all  this,' and  will  ye  not  declare 
them .?"— 1  Nephi  6:1;  with  Isa.  48  :  1-6. 

Again: 

"The  word  that  Isaiah,  the  son  of  Amoz,  saw  concerning  Judah  and  Jeru- 
salem :  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days,  when  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord's  house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the  mountains,  and  shall  be 
exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it,  and  many  people 
shall  go  and  say,  Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to 
the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob;  and  he  will  teach  us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will 
walk  in  his  paths ;  for  out  of  Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the 
Lord  from  Jerusalem.  And  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations,  and  shall  re- 
buke many  people;  and  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plough-shares,  and 
their  spears  into  pruning  hooks :  nation  shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation, 
neither  shall  they  learn  war  any  more.  0  house  of  Jacob,  come  ye,  and  let 
us  walk  in  the  light  of  the  Lord  ;  yea,  come,  for  ye  have  all  gone  astray,  every 
one  to  his  wicked  ways. 

•'Therefore,  0  Lord,  thou  hast  forsaken  thy  people,  the  house  of  Jacob,  be- 
cause they  be  replenished  from  the  east,  and  hearken  unto  soothsayers  like 
the  Philistines,  and  they  please  themselves  in  the  children  of  strangers. 
Their  land  also  is  full  of  "silver  and  gold,  neither  is  there  any  end  of  their 
treasures — their  land  also  is  full  of  horses,  neither  is  there  any  end  of  their 
chariots :  their  land  is  also  full  of  idols — they  worship  the  work  of  their  own 
hands,  that  which  their  own  fingers  have  made:  and  the  mean  man  boweth 
not  down,  and  the  great  man  humbleth  not  himself,  therefore,  forgive  him 
not. 

"0  ye  wicked  ones,  enter  into  the  rock,  and  hide  thee  in  the  dust,  for  the  fear 
of  the  Lord,  and  *  *  *  the  glory  of  his  majesty  shall  smite  thee.  And  it  shall 
come  to  pass  that  the  lofty  looks  of  man  shall  be  humbled,  and  the  haughti- 
ness of  men  shall  be  bowed  clown,  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted  in 


GRAMMAR.  3Y 

that  day.  For  the  day  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  soon  cometh  upon  all  nations;  yea, 
upon  every  one;  yea,  upon  the  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon  every  one  who  is 
lifted  up;  and  he  shall  be  brought  low." — 2  Nephi  8:4,5,6;  with  Isaiah 
2 :  1-12. 

"  And  again  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the  Lord  shall  say  unto  him  that  shall  read 
the  words  that  shall  be  delivered  him.  Forasmuch  as  this  people  draw  near  unto 
me  with  their  mouth,  and  with  their  lips  do  honor  me,  but  have  removed  their 
hearts  far  from  me,  and  their  fear  toward  me  is  taught  by  the  precepts  of  men, 
therefore,  I  will  proceed  to  do  a  marvelous  work  among  this  people ;  yea,  a  mar- 
velous work,  and  a  wonder :  for  the  wisdom  of  their  wise  and  learned  shall 
perish, and  the  understanding  of  their  prudent  shall  be  hid.  And  wo  unto  them 
that  seek  deep  to  hide  their  counsel  from  the  Lord.  And  their  works  are  in 
the  dark;  and  they  say,  Who  seeth  us;  and  who  knoweth  us?  And  they 
also  say,  Surely,  your  turning  of  things  upside  down,  shall  be  esteemed  as 
the  potter's  clay.  But  behold,  I  will  shew  unto  them,  said  the  Lord  of  hosts,  that 
I  know  all  their  works.  For  shall  the  work  say  of  him  that  made  it,  He  made 
me  not?  Or  shall  the  thing  framed  say  of  him  that  framed  it,  he  had  no 
understanding  ?  But  behold,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  will  shew  unto  the  children 
of  men,  that  it  is  not  yet  a  very  little  while,  and  Lebanon  shall  be  turned  into 
a  fruitful  field;  and  the  fruitful  field  shall  be  esteemed  as  a  forest.  And  in 
that  day  shall  the  deaf  hear  the  words  of  the  book ;  and  the  eyes  of  the  blind 
shall  see  out  of  obscurity  and  out  of  darkness:  and  the  meek  shall  increase, 
and  their  joy  shall  be  in  the  Lord;  and  the  poor  among  men  shall  rejoice  in 
the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  For  assuredly  as  the  Lord  liveth,  they  shall  see  that  the 
terrible  one  is  brought  to  nought,  and  the  scorner  is  consumed,  and  all  that 
watch  for  iniquity  are  cut  off;  and  they  that  make  a  man  an  offender  for  a 
word,  and  lay  a  snare  for  him  that  reproveth  in  the  gate,  and  turn  aside  the 
just  for  a  thing  of  nought.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord,  who  redeemed 
Abraham,  concerning  the  house  of  Jacob,  Jacob  shall  not  now  be  ashamed, 
neither  shall  his  face  now  wax  pale.  But  when  he  seeth  his  children,  the 
work  of  my  hands  in  the  midst  of  him,  they  shall  sanctify  my  name,  and 
sanctify  the  Holy  One  of  Jacob,  and  shall  fear  the  God  of  Israel.  They  also 
that  erred  in  spirit  shall  come  to  understanding,  and  they  that  murmured 
shall  learn  doctrine."— 2  Nephi  11 : 19. 

This  quotation  is  widely  different  in  word  and  sentiment  from 
Isaiah  29:  13-24,  and  it  is  the  height  of  folly  to  say  that  the  com- 
mon version  was  freely  used  with  all  its  defects  in  preparing  the 
Book  of  Mormon. 

The  words  in  italics  are  wanting,  or  differ  in  connection,  in  the 
common  version,  while  the  asterisks  indicate  that  in  those  places 
in  the  common  version  there  is  something  more  than  in  the  Book 
of  Mormon.  It  will  be  seen  on  careful  reading  that  the  sense  is 
materially  better,  and  clearer,  in  the  texts  from  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, (j) 

The  extracts  here  given,  and  the  texts  cited,  utterly  disprove  the 
statement  of  Mr.  Sheldon  that  the  common  version  was  freely  used 
by  Joseph,  with  all  its  defects,"  when  "preparing  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon." 


(;')     See  also  2  Nephi  5:  9,  with  Isa.  51:  17-20,  &c. 


38  GRAMMAR. 

The  thought  that  the  illiterate  young  man,  Joseph  Smith,  copied 
from  the  common  version,  making  all  these  important  changes  in 
the  texts, — and  changes  that  greatly  improve  the  texts, — is  quite 
groundless  and  inconsistent.  He  did  not  copy  from  the  common 
version.  He  was  not  qualified,  naturally,  for  making  all  these  im- 
portant changes.  Nor  will  it  do  to  say  that  he  copied  from  Mr. 
Spaulding's  manuscript;  for  no  intelligent  Presbyterian  minister 
would  dare  change  the  text  of  the  Bible  to  make  it  read  as  does 
the  Book  of  Mormon.  In  its  language,  and  in  much  of  its  subject 
matter,  it  agrees  with  neither  the  common  version  nor  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  in  respect  to  the  teachings  of  Christ.  The  Book  of  Mor- 
mon does  not  claim  to  agree  with  either  the  Inspired  Translation 
or  the  common  version.  It  claims  to  be  a  record  given  to  another 
people,  under  somewhat  dissimilar  circumstances,  and  having  quite 
different  surroundings.  If  the  Book  of  Mormon  claimed  that  the 
teachings  of  Jesus,  as  therein  found,  were  identically  the  same  as 
what  he  gave  his  disciples  in  Judea,  then  we  might  expect  the  In- 
spired Translation  to  agree  with  it,  so  far  as  facts  and  sentiments 
are  concerned;  but  not  necessarily  in  regard  to  forms  of  language^ 
for  the  language  of  the  two  peoples  was  manifestly  different  in 
some  degree. 

In  translating  the  Book  of  Mormon  it  was  evidently  intended  to 
transfer,  so  far  as  practicable,  the  forms  of  speech  peculiar  to  the 
language  in  which  it  was  found;  while  in  the  Inspired  Translation 
the  apparent  object  seems  to  be,  (1),  to  restore  essential  parts  that 
had  been  taken  away,  especially  from  the  gospel;  and,  (2),  to  strike 
out  what  had  been  added  by  uninspired  men;  and,  (3),  to  give  the 
sense,  rather  than  the  forms  of  speech,  in  those  passages  where  the 
meaning  was  ambiguous  and  the  sense  obscure.  Many  of  the 
forms  of  speech  peculiar  to  the  Israelites  of  eighteen  hundred  years 
ago,  and  well  adapted  to  their  modes  of  thought  and  expression, 
are  quite  unsuited  to  the  people  of  the  nineteenth  century,  so  great 
has  been  the  change  of  language.  And  it  is  not  at  all  surprising 
that  in  correcting  and  translating  the  Scriptures  by  inspiration,  the 
sense,  rather  than  the  forms  of  the  text  should  be  given. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  is  a  work  quite  distinct  from  the  Inspired 
Translation;  and,  while  we  may  expect  that  there  will  be  no  con- 
siderable differences  between  the  two  records,  we  may  not  expect 
to  find  precisely  the  same  sentiments,  no  more  and  no  less,  taught 
in  both  of  them;  neither  to  find  the  same  forms  of  speech  even 
when  the  same  sentiments  are  taught  by  the  same  persons.  The 
same  truths  may  be  and  often  are  taught  by  the  same  person  under 
different  forms  of  language.  Man,  with  prolific  mind  and  facile 


GRAMMAR.  39 

tongue,  is  not  a  mere  machine  that  he  should  always  give  to  the 
same  thought  the  same  form  of  words,  Mr.  Sheldon  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  finds  fault  with  the  grammar  of  Joseph's  In- 
spired Translation. 

As  for  the  matter  of  grammar,  there  is  no  little  difference  among 
grammarians  of  to-day  in  regard  to  it;  while  there  is  a  very  strik- 
ing difference  between  those  of  the  present  and  those  of  preceding 
times.  The  translators  of  the  "common  version"  were  very  learned 
men,  and,  no  doubt,  good  grammarians  for  their  times,  but  their 
work  is  found  very  faulty  when  tried  by  our  present  standards. 
We  should  not  judge  them  hastily  by  our  standards,  lest  coming 
generations,  measuring  us  by  theirs,  pronounce  us  equally  faulty. 
Grammar  changes  with  the  education  and  tastes  of  the  people.  But 
Mr.  Sheldon,  with  characteristic  assurance  tells  us  that  "Inspiration 
gives  the  language,  as  well  as  the  thoughts."  Hence  he  argues  that 
Joseph's  defective  grammar  (according  to  his  standard)  is  evidence 
that  he  was  not  a  prophet  of  God.  If  the  logic  of  Mr.  Sheldon 
was  valid,  it  would  prove  that  the  Bible,  being  defective  in  its 
grammatical  construction,  was  not  inspired,  and  that  its  inspiration 
would  come  and  go  according  to  its  grammatical  or  ungrammatical 
construction  or  translation.  This  is  worse  than  nonsense. 

Smith,  in  his  Bible  Dictionary,  Art.  New  Testament,  says: 
"The  Aramaic  modifications  of  the  New  Testament  phraseology 
remove  it  from  the  sphere  of  strict  grammatical  analysis.  *  *  * 
There  is  found  constantly  in  the  New  Testament  a  personality  of 
language  (if  the  phrase  may  be  used),  which  is  foreign  to  classical 
Greek." 

Hitchcock,  in  his  analysis  of  the  Bible,  page  1150,  says  the  gos- 
pel of  Matthew  was  written  in  the  "familiar  speech  of  the  Jews  of 
his  day."  And  of  the  gospels  collectively  he  says  on  page  1151,. 
"The  four  evangelists  *  *  *  each  portrayed  the  life  and  character 
of  Christ  in  the  manner  natural  to  himself" 

Bishop  Home,  in  his  Introduction,  vol.  1,  page  515,  says: 

"  When  it  is  said  that  Scripture  is  divinely  inspired,  we  are  not  to  under- 
stand that  God  suggested  every  word,  or  dictated  every  expression.  From  the 
different  styles  in  which  the  books  are  written,  and  the  different  manner  in 
which  the  same  events  are  related  and  predicted  by  different  authors,  it  ap- 
pears that  the  sacred  penmen  were  permitted  to  write  as  their  several  tempers, 
understandings,  and  habits  of  life  directed." 

Of  the  coarse  and  unscholarly  language  of  the  New  Testament 
writers  he  says,  vol.  2,  page  22: 
"  Very  many  of  the  Greek  words,  found  in  the  New  Testament,  are  not 


40  GRAMMAR. 

such  as  were  adopted  by  men  of  education,  and  the  higher  and  more  po- 
lished ranks  of  life,  but  such  as  were  in  use  icith  the  common  people.  Now 
this  shows  that  the  writers  became  acquainted  with  the  language,  in  conse- 
quence of  an  actual  intercourse  with  those  who  spoke  it,  rather  than  from 
any  study  of  books,  and  that  intercourse  must  have  been  very  much  confined 
to  the  middling  or  even  lower  classes  ;  since  the  words  and  phrases  most  fre- 
quently used  by  them,  passed  current  only  among  the  vulgar.  *  *  *  In  fact, 
the  vulgarisms,  foreign  idioms,  and  other  disadvantages  and  defects,  which 
some  critics  imagine  that  they  have  discovered  in  the  Hebraic  Greek  of  the 
New  Testament,  are  assigned  by  the  inspired  writers  as  the  reasons  of  God's 
preference  of  it,  whose  thoughts  are  not  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  our 
ways." 

Stowe,  in  his  history  of  the  Bible,  on  pages  18,  19,  says: 

"  The  Bible  is  not  a  specimen  of  God's  skill  as  a  writer,  showing  us  God's 
mode  of  thought,  giving  us  God's  logic,  and  God's  rhetoric,  and  God's  style 
of  historic  narration.  *  *  *  It  is  always  to  be  remembered  that  the  writers 
of  the  Bible  were  God's  penmen,  and  not  God's  pens.  It  is  not  the  words  of 
tht  Bible  that  were  inspired ;  it  is  not  the  thoughts  of  the  Bible  that  were  in- 
spired ;  it  is  the  men  who  wrote  the  Bible  that  were  inspired.  Inspiration 
acts  not  on  the  man's  words,  not  on  the  man's  thoughts,  but  on  the  man  him- 
self; so  that  he,  by  his  own  spontaniety,  under  the  impulse  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  conceives  certain  thoughts  and  gives  utterance  to  them  in  certain 
words,  both  the  words  and  thoughts  receiving  the  peculiar  impress  of  the 
mind  which  conceived  and  uttered  them,  and  being  in  fact  just  as  really  his 
own,  as  they  could  have  been  if  there  had  been  no  inspiration  at  all  iii  the 
case." 

From  these  quotations  we  gather  the  fact,  that  the  inspired  writ- 
ers of  the  Bible  wrote  the  subject  matter  given  them  by  the  Spirit 
of  God  in  such  style  and  manner  of  language  as  they  themselves  were 
familiar  with,  and  that  the  punctuation,  spelling,  capitalizing,  phra- 
seology, grammatical  construction,  and  general  literary  style 
were  seldom,  if  ever,  dictated  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  were  left 
mainly  to  the  choice  of  the  writers.  This  accounts  for  the  great 
diversity  of  style  and  culture  seen  in  the  various  Bible  writers. 

With  the  German,  and  other  nations,  it  is  a  rule  to  put  the 
noun  before  the  adjective,  thus — horse  black;  tree  tall;  woman 
beautiful;  but  with  the  English  speaking  nations  it  is  just  the  re- 
verse— black  horse;  tall  tree;  beautiful  woman.  That  usage  which 
is  a  law  among  the  one  people,  is  a  violation  of  law  with  the  others. 
If  inspiration  is  subject  to  the  laws  of  grammar,  will  Mr.  Sheldon 
kindly  tell  us  which  dass  of  laws,  for  they  differ  widely,  as  we  see, 
among  the  different  nations.  Are  they  those  of  ZENODOTUS  of 
Ephesus?  or  ARISTOPHANES  of  Byzantium?  or  are  they  those  of 
MURRAY  and  KIRKHAM?  or  PIXNEO  and  QUACKENBOSS?  Pray  tell 
us,  Mr.  Sheldon,  for  it  is  important  to  find  the  exact  and  only 
grammatical  channel  through  which  inspiration  may  come  to  us! 

We  apprehend  that  God  may  inspire  persons  to  speak  and  write 


INSPIRATION— DEGREES.  4 1 

irrespective  of  men's  notions  as  to  what  is  or  is  not  grammatical. 
The  chief  value  of  any  communication  depends,  not  upon  its  strict- 
ly grammatical  qualities,  but  upon  the  quality  and  amount  of  in- 
telligence it  conveys.  The  loftiest  principles,  and  the  grandest 
truths,  are  often  found  in  broken  and  unpolished  sentences,  even 
as  the  purest  gold,  and  the  most  precious  gems,  are  found  with  the 
confused  quartz  or  the  shifting  sands.  The  sense  of  a  sentence  is 
the  measure  of  its  worth;  its  structure  is  of  secondary  import- 
ance. As  the  style  of  garment  is  to  man,  so  is  the  form  of  lan- 
guage to  sentiment — it  is  its  clothing. 

If  Mr.  Sheldon  still  objects  to  the  inspiration  of  a  work  on  the 
grounds  of  defective  grammar,  we  propose  that  he  enters  upon  a 
criticism  of  the  Old  and  New  Testments,  which  he  professes  to 
love  so  dearly,  and  to  believe  so  firmly,  and  then  inform  us  as  to 
whether  they  are  inspired  records  or  not.  As  to  inspiration  giving 
"the  language,  ^s  well  as  the  thoughts,"  it  is  true  in  part,  but  only 
in  part. 

DEGREES    OF    INSPIRATION. 

There  are  different  degrees  of  inspiration,  as  one  may  readily 
see  on  reading  the  Scriptures,  unless  they  are  blinded  by  prejudice 
or  befogged  by  the  creeds,  catechisms,  and  commentaries  of  unin- 
spired men.  That  degree  of  inspiration  which  gives  the  prophetic 
word,  and  the  open  vision,  is  greater  than  that  which  inspires  a 
dream  or  moves  to  write  current  history.  That  degree  that  enabled 
Jesus  to  know  what  was  in  man,  and  to  work  his  wondrous  mir- 
acles, was  far  greater  than  that  which  inspired  the  council  of  "apos- 
tles and  elders  at  Jerusalem,"  (Acts  15:  29),  or  that  which  moved 
Paul  to  write  the  seventh  chapter  of  First  Corinthians.  Paul  says, 
"I  think  also  that  I  have  the  Spirit  of  God."  The  degree  of  the 
Spirit  which  he  then  possessed,  if  any,  was  so  small  that  there  was 
no  certainty  that  what  he  wrote  at  that  time  was  inspired  of  God 
at  all. 

If  inspiration  always  "gives  the  language,  as  well  as  the  thoughts," 
why  is  there  not  an  exact  verbal  agreement  between  the  evangelists 
when  they  describe  the  same  events,  or  rehearse  the  same  teachings? 
And  why  is  not  the  language  of  James,  and  John,  and  Jude,  as 
precise  and  scholarly  as  that  of  Paul  and  Luke?  And  why  is  there 
as  wide  a  difference  between  the  style  of  language  found  in  Ezekiel 
and  that  of  David,  or  Isaiah,  or  Solomon,  as  there  is  between  the 
terse  sentences  of  Josephus  and  the  polished  periods  of  Gibbon? 
The  language  of  Habakkuk,  and  Job,  and  Nahum,  and  the  Psalms 


42  INSPIRED  TRANSLATION. 

is  lofty  and  eJegant,  while  that  of  Daniel,  Hosea  and  Malachi,  i& 
plain,  vigorous,  and  unpoetic  in  comparison. 
Inspiration  is: — 

"The  conveying  of  certain  extraordinary  and  supernatural  notions  or  mo- 
tions into  the  soul ;  or  it  denotes  any  supernatural  influence  of  God  upon 
the  mind  of  a  rational  creature,  whereby  he  is  formed  to  any  degree  of  intel- 
lectual improvement." 

Such  are  the  judicious  remarks  of  Dr.  Buck,  in  his  dictionary  of 
the  Bible,  and  their  propriety  we  think,  may  not  be  qustioned. 
He  further  aptly  says  in  regard  to  the  various  measures  of  inspira- 
tion: 

"1.  An  inspiration  of  superintendence/,  in  which  God  does  so  influence  and 
direct  the  mind  of  any  person,  as  to  keep  him  more  secure  from  error  in 
some  various  and  complex  discourse,  than  he  would  have  been  merely  by 
the  use  of  his  natural  faculties. 

"  2.  Plenary  superintendent  inspiration,  which  excludes  any  mixture  of  er- 
ror at  all  from  tbe  performance  so  superintended. 

"  3.  Inspiration  of  elevation,  where  the  faculties  act  in  a  regular,  and,  as  it 
seems,  in  a  common  manner,  yet  are  raised  to  an  extraordinary  degree,  so 
that  the  composure  shall,  upon  the  whole,  have  more  of  the  true  sublime,  or 
pathetic,  than  natural  genius  could  have  given. 

"  4.  Inspiration  of  suggestion,  where  the  use  of  the  faculties  is  superceded, 
and  God  does,  as  it  were,  speak  directly  to  the  mind,  making  such  discover- 
ies to  it  as  it  could  not  otherwise  have  obtained,  and  dictating  the  very 
words  in  which  such  discoveries  are  to  be  communicated,  if  they  are  designed 
as  a  message  to  others." 

INSPIRED    TRANSLATION. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  undertakes  to  show  a  huge  error  in  the  promises 
made  in  the  Book  of  Covenants  relative  to  the  Inspired  Translation. 
He  argues  that  the  promise,  "My  Scriptures  shall  be  given  as  I 
have  appointed,  and  they  shall  be  preserved  in  safety,"  means  that 
all  the  Scripture  ever  inspired  of  God  was  to  be  given  to  the  church 
in  the  Inspired  Translation.  There  is  scarcely  any  occasion  to 
reply  to  so  stupid  a  statement.  The  promise  was:  "My  Scripture 
shall  be  given  as  I  have  appointed;"  and  then  comes  the  promise, 
"And  they  shall  be  preserved  in  safety;"  and  then  follows  the  ad- 
vice: 

"  And  it  is  expedient  that  thou  shouldst  hold  thy  peace  concerning  them, 
and  not  teach  them  until  ye  have  received  them  in  full." — D.  C.  42  :  15. 

That  is,  the  Church  was  not  to  teach  those  Scriptures  which  God 
had  "appointed,"  ordained,  or  decreed,  to  give  to  the  Church,  until 
they  had  those  "appointed"  Scriptures  "in  full."  It  remained  for 
the  Church  to  wait  and  see  what  Scriptures  God  had  "appointed" 


PRE-EXISTENCE.  43 

unto  them,  in  what  he  should  give  in  the  Inspired  Translation,  for 
it  was  the  Inspired  Translation  that  was  spoken  of. 

SPIRITUAL    CREATION — PRE-EXISTENCE. 

The  next  point  that  Mr,   Sheldon   urges   against  the  Inspired 

Translation  is,  in  that  it  says: 

"  For  I,  the  Lord  God,  created  all  things  of  which  I  have  spoken,  spiritually, 
'before  they  were  naturally  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  And  I,  the  Lord  God, 
had  created  all  the  children  of  men,  and  not  yet  a  man  to  till  the  ground,  for  in 
heaven  created  I  them,  and  there  was  not  yet  flesh  upon  the  earth,  neither  in 
the  water,  neither  in  the  air ;  but  I,  the  Lord  God,  spake,  and  there  went 
up  a  mist  from  the  earth,  and  watered  the  whole  face  of  the  ground.  And  I, 
the  Lord  God,  formed  man  from  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and  breathed  into 
his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life ;  and  man  became  a  living  soul ;  the  first  flesh 
upon  the  earth,  the  first  man  also;  nevertheless,  all  things  were  before  created, 
but  spiritually  were  they  created  and  made,  according  to  my  word." — Gen. 
2:5-9. 

Here  is  the  full  text,  underlined  as  we  find  it  in  the  article  of 
Mr.  Sheldon.  He  then  quotes  Genesis  6:52: 

"And  he  called  upon  our  father  Adam,  by  his  own  voice,  saying,  I  am 
God;  I  made  the  world,  and  men  before  they  were  in  the  flesh." 

He  thinks  this  is  contradicted  directly  by  Paul,  1  Cor.  15:  44- 
49,  where  he  says: 

"The  first  man  Adam,  was  made  a  living  soul ;  the  last  Adam  was  made  a 
quickening  spirit.  Howbeit  that  which  was  natural  first,  and  not  that  which 
is  spiritual ;  but  afterwards  that  which  is  spiritual ;  the  first  man  is  of  the 
earth  earthy  ;  the  second  man  is  the  Lord  from  heaven." 

Now,  when  the  Lord  says,  "I  made  the  world,  and  men  before 
they  were  in  the  flesh"  it  is  easy  to  see  that  the  creation  of  man  here 
spoken  of,  is  not  the  one  alluded  to  by  Paul,  when  he  says,  "The 
first  man  is  of  the  earth,  earthy."  Paul  clearly  refers  to  the  crea- 
tion of  the  earthly  tabernacle,  the  fleshly  body  of  man,  while  Gen. 
2:  4,  5,  6,  9,  and  6  :  52,  as  clearly  relate  to  their  spiritual  creation. 
Mr.  Sheldon  would  deny  that  the  spirits  of  all  intelligent  beings 
are,  in  any  sense,  pre-existent.  Here  is  the  main  issue  between 
him  and  the  text  quoted  from  Genesis. 

Now  the  common  version,  with  all  the  other  versions  that  have 
fallen  under  our  notice,  teaches  that,,  "In  the  day  that  the  Lord 
God  made  the  earth  and  the  heavens,"  he  made  "every  plant  of  the 
field  before  it  was  in  the  earth,  and  every  herb  of  the  field  before  it 
grew" — Gen.  2:  4,  5.  Now,  inasmuch  as  the  Lord  did  so  much  for 
the  vegetable  world  in  its  pre-existent  state,  is  it  at  all  surprising 
that  he  created  and  fashioned  man's  spirit  before  it  took  a  taber- 
nacle ef  flesh,  and  even  before  there  was  any  kind  of  flesh  either  in. 
the  air,  or  in  the  water,  or  upon  the  earth?  We  think  not. 


44  PRE-EXISTENCE. 

There  are  a  great  many  texts  that  teach  the  pre-existence  of 
spirits,  a  doctrine  very  fatal  to  the  theories  so  foudly  entertained 
by  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his  fellows.  The  Bible  proclaims  the  Lord  as 
"the  God  of  the  spirits  of  all  flesh" — Num.  16  :  22;  27:  16..  And 
Paul  declares  him  to  be  "the  Father  of  spirits." — Heb.  12:  9. 

Now,  that  the  spirit  of  at  least  one  man  pre-existed  is,  we  think, 
-quite  evident;  and  if  the  spirit  of  one  pre-existed,  pray  why  not 
all?  The  law  governing  one  case  clearly  governs  all,  for  God  is 
no  respecter  of  persons.  Of  "the  man  Christ  Jesus," — that  his 
spirit,  as  a  conscious,  active  entity,  did  exist  ages  before  he  took 
an  earthly  body,  a  fleshly  tabernacle  from  the  womb  of  Mary,  is 
placed  beyond  question  by  his  own  words,  and  by  the  words  of 
prophets  and  apostles. 

Jesus  says: 

"  I  came  forth  from  the  Father,  and  am  come  into  the  world :  again,  I 
leave  the  world,  and  go  to  the  Father." — John  16:  28. 

Jesus  commends  belief  in  his  pre-existence  as  an  important  element 
in  the  \ruefairf,  for  he  says: 

"  For  the  Father  himself  loveth  you,  because  ye  have  loved  me,  and  have 
believed  that  I  came  out  from  God."— Verse  27. 

Again  he  says: 

"  And  now,  O  Father,  glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the  glory 
which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was." — John  17 :  5. 
Again:— 

"  The  bread  of  God  is  he  which  cometh  down  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life 
to  the  world."— John  6:  33. 

John  testifies  of  him: 

"In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the 
Word  was  God.  *  *  *  All  things  were  made  by  him.  *  *  *  And  the  Word 
was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us." — John  1:  1,  3,  14. 

Paul  says: 

"  By  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven,  and  that  are  in  earth, 
visible  and  invisible." — Col.  1 :  16. 

And  of  his  incarnation  Paul  says: 

"When  he  [Christ]  cometh  into  the  world,  he  saith,  Sacrifice  and  offering 
thou  wouldst  not.  but  a  body  hast  thou  prepared  me." — Heb.  10 : 5. 

The  "body"  of  Christ  was  evidently  "prepared"  of  God  in  the 
womb  of  the  virgin  Mary;  and  into  this  "body"  at  its  birth,  the 
pre-existent,  intelligent  spirit  of  Christ  entered,  and  accomplished 
the  work  assigned  him  of  the  Father  for  the  redemption  of  man. 
Now  Paul  draws  a  parallel  between  Christ,  who  came  into  the 
world  to  save  man,  and  man  whom  he  came  to  save.  He  says:  . 


PRE-EXISTENCE.  45 

"  Forasmuch  then  as  the  children  [whom  he  came  to  save]  are  partakers  of 
flesh  and  blood,  he  also  likewise  took  part  of  the  same;  that  through  death  he 
might  destroy  him  that  had  the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  devil." — Heb. 
3:14. 

When  he  says  that  "the  children  are  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,"  he  says,  in  substance,  that  "the  children"  had  an  existence 
before  they  partook  of  "flesh  and  blood;"  especially  when  he  says 
"he  also,  likewise  [in  like  manner]  took  part  of  the  same"  [flesh 
and  blood];  thus  putting  Christ  and  the  children  on  the  same 
grounds.  This  places  the  matter  beyond  refutation,  that  the  spirits 
of  all  men,  as  well  as  the  spirit  of  Christ,  pre-existed. 

With  this  idea  in  the  mind,  we  can  easily  reconcile  and  under- 
stand many  passages  in  both  Testaments,  which  otherwise  would 
remain  profoundly  mysterious.  Such,  for  instance,  as  the  following: 

"Master,  who  did  sin,  this  man,  or  his  parents,  that  he  was  born  blind?" 
—John  9:1. 

This  question  pre-supposes  a  conscious,  responsible  pre-existence; 
and  Christ's  disciples  thought,  no  doubt,  that  the  spirits  of  all  men 
existed  in  a  state  of  intellectual  consciousness  and  moral  freedom, 
similar  to  that  of  "the  angels  which  kept  not  their  first  estate" 
mentioned  by  Jude,  (verse  6),  and  "the  angels  that  sinned,"  men- 
tioned by  Peter,  (2  Peter  2:4),  and  the  devil,  who  "abode  not  in 
the  truth,"  mentioned  by  our  Savior,  (John  8  :  44.)  Again: 

"Where  wast  thou  when  I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth?  Declare  if 
thou  hast  understanding.  *  *  *  When  the  morning  stars  sang  together,  and 
all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for  joy." — Job  38  :  4.  7. 

Christ  was  one  of  the  morning  stars,  (Rev.  22: 10),  and  is  it  im- 
probable that  those  who  are  ministers  of  God  with  him  were  also 
morning  stars?  As  for  "the  sons  of  God,"  Jesus  was  one,  and 
Adam  was  another. — Luke  3:  38.  This  being  the  case,  it  is  con- 
clusive that  Adam's  children,  too,  those  whom  Christ  came  to  save 
and  bless,  were  likewise,  in  their  pre-existent  state,  "sons  of  God." 
'Paul  said  to  the  Athenians,  "We  are  also  his  offspring." — Acts  17: 
28.  The  sons  of  God  could  have  "shouted  for  joy"  at  the  found- 
ing of  our  earth  only  in  a  pre-existent  state.  So  much  for  the  pre- 
existence  of  the  spirit  of  man;  and  yet  but  a  small  amount  of  the 
available  proof  has  been  adduced. 

As  to  the  pre-existence  of  the  spirits  of  all  fl?*h->  one  thing  we 
think  is  clear,  and  that  is  that  the  law  f>f  existence  that  appertains  to- 
one  class  of  spirits  appertains  to  all.  There  certainly  is  nothing  in 
the  Scriptures  nor  in  philosophy  against  this  idea,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, very  much  to  favor  it.  Of  the  condition  of  spirits  in  their 
pre-existent  state  but  little,  comparatively,  is  said.  However,  the 


46  TWO  CREATIONS. 

doctrine  of  pre-existcnce  is  much  more  ancient  than  apostolic  times, 
and  it  was  extensively  taught  in  the  first  centuries  of  the  Christian 
era,  as  may  be  seen  by  consulting  the  early  Christian  Fathers.  We 
have  seen  on  page  nineteen,  that  Eusebius  held  to  the  pre-existence 
of  Christ.  To  this  we  refer  the  reader. 

Mr.  Sheldon  attempts  to  make  the  Inspired  Translation  contra- 
dict itself  in  regard  to  the  creation,  by  confounding  the  two  crea- 
tions, spiritual  and  physical,  in  one.  This  is  a  genuine  Infidel 
trick,  and  Mr.  Sheldon  probably  borrowed  it  from  that  class  of 
critics.  The  first  chapter  in  the  Inspired  Translation  embraces  an 
epitomized  statement  of  the  creation,  while  the  chapters  following 
contain  a  recapitulation  and  more  detailed  account.  The  same 
thing  is  true  of  the  common  version.  Reading  the  account  of  the 
creation  with  this  view  in  the  mind,  as  one  evidently  should  do, 
there  is  then  not  the  least  appearance  of  contradiction.  Here  is  a 
passage  he  uses  with  evident  satisfaction  to  prove  a  conflict: 

"  And  I,  the  Lord  God,  had  created  all  the  children  of  men,  and  no  yet  a 
man  to  till  the  ground." — Gen.  2 :  9. 

And  he  then  opposes  to  it  the  following: 

"  Let  us  make  man  in  our  own  image." — Gen.  1 :  27. 

Now  Mr.  Sheldon  knew  when  he  wrote  the  statement,  that  the 
quotation  from  Gen.  2:  6  was  qualified  and  explained  by  its  con- 
texts, so  as  to  make  it  relate  to  the  creation  of  spirits,  or  the  spir- 
itual creation,  for  they  read: 

"For  I,  the  Lord  God,  created  all  things  of  which  I  have  spoken, spiritual- 
ly, before  they  were  naturally  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.  *  '*  And  I,  the 
Lord  God,  had  created  all  the  children  of  men,  and  not  yet  [at  the  time 
when  he  created  the  spirits]  a  man  to  till  the  ground,  for  in  heaven  created 
I  them,  and  there  was  not  yet  [at  the  time  the  spirits  were  created]  flesh 
upon  the  earth,  neither  in  the  water,  neither  in  the  air." — Gen.  2:  5,  6. 

Nothing  can  be  plainer  than  that  these  texts  relate  to  the  crea- 
tion of  pre-existent  spirits  before  there  was  any  kind  of  flesh  on  the 
earth.  At  the  eighth  verse  of  the  same  chapter  begins  the  account' 
of  man's  physical  creation: 

"  And  I,  the  Lord  God,  formed  man  from  the  dust  of  the  ground,  and 
breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life ;  and  man  became  a  living  soul ; 
the  first  flesh  upon  the  earth,  the  first  man  also." 

That  this  relates  to  man's  physical  creation  is  further  apparent 
from  what  follows  in  the  next  verse: 

"  Nevertheless,  all  things  were  before  created,  but  spiritually  were  they 
created  and  made  according  to  my  word." — Verse  9. 

Mr.  Sheldon  then  charges  that  there  is  a  conflict  between  the 
account  (in  chapter  1:  22-26)  of  the  creation  of  the  lower  orders  of 


JOSEPH'S  TWO  FATHERS.  47 

animal  life,  and  the  account  of  the  creation  of  man  which  follows, 
(in  verses  27-30),  and  the  statement  in  chapter  2  :  8,  where 
it  says  that  man  was  the  first  flesh  "upon  the  earth,"  as  though  it 
was  a  question  only  and  merely  of  time,  whereas,  it  is  clearly  one 
of  rank,  position  and  dignity.  Man  was  the  "first  flesh  upon  the 
earth,"  from  the  fact  that  God  placed  him  first  in  rank,  in  dominion 
and  made  him  first  in  physical  excellence,  and  gave  him  dominion 
over  all  the  earth,  and  over  every  living  thing. — Gen.  1  :  28-31. 

JOSEPH'S  TWO  FATHERS. 
Mr.  Sheldon  next  avers  that: 

"Joseph's  inspired  version  clashes  with  itself  and  with  reason,  by  giving 
two  natural  fathers  to  Joseph,  the  husband  of  Mary,  *  *  in  rendering  Matt. 
1 :  4,  'Jacob  begat  Joseph/  and  in  translating  Luke  3  :  30,  Joseph  was  from 
the  loins  of  Heli.'  Certainly  he  could  not  have  been  begotten  by  Jacob,  and 
also  come  from  the  loins  of  Heli." 

We  think  he  could  just  as  well  as  that  Jesus  could  come  of 
the  "loins"  of  David,  and  at  the  same  time  be  begjftcn  by  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Peter,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost,  when  under  the  inspiration 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  declared  that  God  had  sworn  unto  David: 

"That  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins,  according  to  the  flesh,  he  would  raise  up 
Christ  to  sit  on  his  throne." — Acts  2 :  30. 

Now,  Joseph  w^as  only  the  putative  father  of  Jesus,  and  in  this 
manner  did  Jesus  descend  from  the  loim  of  David.  It  was  a  cus- 
tom of  the  ancient  Hebrews,  (Gen.  38:  8),  and  a  law  under  the 
Mosaic  polity,  for  a  man  to  marry  his  brother's  widow  and  raise 
up  seed  unto  his  brother.  And  it  was  especially  provided 

"  That  the  firstborn  which  she  beareth  shall  succeed  in  the  name  of  his 
brother  which  is  dead,  that  his  name  be  not  put  out  of  Israel." — Deut. 
25:6. 

Now  Joseph,  the  husband  of  Mary,  was  the  natural  son  of  Jacob, 
but,  under  the  law  we  have  cited,  he  was  reckoned  from  "the  loins" 
of  Heli;  for  Joseph's  mother  was  first  married  to  Heli,  and,  as  he 
died  without  seed,  Jacob  took  her  to  wife  and  their  first  born  was 
Joseph,  who  by  the  law  was  reckoned  as  Heli's  son,  and  as  being 
•"from  the  loins  of  Heli."  It  will  be  seen  on  comparing  Matt.  1: 
15  with  Luke  3:  23,  24,  that  Matthan  (Matthat,  Greek)  was  the 
father  of  both  Jacob  and  Heli,  and  that  Heli  was  not  the  father  of 
Mary  as  Mr.  Sheldon  asserts;  for  the  lineage  is  reckoned  in  the 
male  line  and  not  in  the  female  as  claimed  by  Mr.  Sheldon.  Of 
this  matter  Eusebius,  a  competent  authority,  says: 

"Thus,  then,  we  shall  find  the  two  [Jacob  and  Heli]  of  different  families, 
[Jacob,  through  Matthan,  his  natural  father,  is  of  the  family  of  Solomon ; 
while  Heli,  his  brother,  had  the  same  mother,  his  father  under  the  law  being 


48  BAPTISM. 

Matthan,  while  his  natural  father  was  Melchi,  who  was  of  the  family  of 
Nathan],  Jacob  and  Heli,  brothers  by  the  same  mother.  Of  these,  the  one 
Jacob,  on  the  death  of  his  brother,  marrying  his  widow,  became  the  father 
of  a  third,  viz.,  Joseph;  his  son  both  by  nature  and  calculation.  Wherefore 
it  is  written,  Jacob  begat  Joseph.  But  according  to  tJie  law  he  was  the  son  of 
Heli ;  for  Jacob  being  his  brother  raised  up  seed  to  him.  Wherefore,  the 
genealogy  traced  also  through  him,  will  not  be  rendered  void." — Eccl. 
Hist.  33. 

The  Son  of  God  was  "made  of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law," 
(Gal.  4:  4);  yet  his  genealogy,  as  provided  for  by  the  law,  and  as 
we  have  seen  in  the  history  of  the  case,  is  traced  in  the  male  line, 
through  his  supposed  father,  back  through  "the  loins  of  David;" 
so,  under  that  same  law,  and  according  to  the  same  custom,  is  Jo- 
seph reckoned  "of  the  loins  of  Heli."  Mr.  Sheldon  has  the  same 
grounds  for  saying  that  Peter's  statement  makes  David  the  natural 
progenitor  of  Jesus,  that  he  has  for  saying  that  Joseph  Smith's 
translation  makes  Heli  the  natural  father  of  Joseph.  The  cases 
are  parallel.  Jesus  was  uot  the  natural  son  of  David,  though 
he  was  reckoned,  under  the  law  governing  genealogies,  as  proceed- 
ing from  his  "loins;"  and  Joseph  was  not  the  natural  son  of  Heli, 
yet  under  the  law  he  was  reckoned  as  descending  from  his  "loins." 

BAPTISM. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  finds  fault  with  the  Inspired  Translation  be- 
cause it  introduces  lapthm  in  the  days  of  Adam.  It  is  not  so 
much  with  the  fact  of  baptism  as  it  is  for  using  the  term  baptism, 
which  he  tells  us  is  "a  Greek  word  with  an  English  termination." 
Baptism  is  not  a  Grek  word.  It  is  purely  an  English  word,  though 
derived  from  the  Greek,  as  are  thousands  of  other  English  words. 
Baptism  is  the  name  of  a  religious  ceremony;  and,  so  far  asitsmode 
is  concerned,  is  performed  by  immersion.  Immersion  is  not  always 
baptism;  for  a  person  may  be  immersed  in  a  variety  of  ways,  as 
by  accident,  or  force,  without  the  least  reference  to  religion.  Now 
in  translating  a  word  from  the  original  that  signified  the  religious 
ceremony  of  baptism,  why  not  call  it  baptism  as  Joseph  Smith  has 
done?  The  duty  of  a  translator  is  to  transfer  the  sense  and  import 
of  words  found  in  one  language  into  words  having  the  same  sense 
and  import  in  another  language.  This  Mr.  Smith  has  done. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  says: 

"  If  Adam's  baptism,  as  recorded  by  Joseph,  was  a  true  pattern,  all  subse- 
quent baptisms  are  faulty :  'Adam  cried  unto  the  Lord,  and  he  was  caught 
away  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  was  carried  down  into  the  water,  and 
was  laid  under  the  water,  and  was  brought  forth  ou'  of  the  water;  and  thus 
he  was  baptized.' — (Gen  6:  67.)  Why,  [says  Mr.  Sheldon]  was  not  baptism 
subsequently  administered  on  the  same  principle,  if  this  was  really  God's 
work. 


BAPTISM— ANCIENT.  49 

Simply,  we  reply,  because  there  was  no  occasion  for  it,  God 
having,  after  the  baptism  of  Adam,  provided  suitable  administra- 
tors. Will  Mr.  Sheldon  deny  that  God  may,  and  often  does, 
accomplish  the  same  ends  in  different  ways?  God  bestowed  the 
Holy  Ghost  "through  laying  on  of  the  apostles  hands"  in  "the 
city  of  Samaria,"  (Acts  8:  18),  and  then  bestowed  it  upon  Cornel- 
ius and  his  household  while  they  were  listening  to  the  discourse  of 
Peter,  (Acts  10:44).  Christ's  ministry  usually  traveled  as  men 
generally  do,  when  they  went  forth  to  preach,  yet  we  read  of 
an  extraordinary  case  of  journeying  wherein  the  Lord  stepped  out 
of  his  usual  way  of  doing  things,  for 

"The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  caught  away  Philip,  that  the  eunuch  saw  him  no 
more;  and  he  went  on  his  way  rejoicing.  But  Philip  was  found  at  Azotus." 
—Acts  8  :  39,  40. 

A  crafty  critic  might  claim  that  Philip's  case  was  "a  pattern," 
and  urge  that  all  Christ's  ministers,  should  be  "caught  away" 
by  the  Spirit,  as  Philip  was,  and  then  be  equally  as  reasonable  as 
Mr.  Sheldon.  There  are  ordinary  methods  for  curing  the  sick, 
for  making  bread,  for  raising  fish,  for  making  oil,  for  feeding  the 
hungry,  and  for  making  wine,  yet  this  does  not  preclude  the 
Lord's  accomplishing  the  same  things  in  an  extraordinary  and 
usual  manner.  And  when  the  Lord,  in  an  extraordinary  way, 
performs  any  work,  professed  Bible  believers  are  scarcely  justified 
in  assuming  it  as  "a  pattern"  for  all  coming  time. 

BAPTISM,    OF    ANCIENT    DATE. 

As  for  baptism  being  a  very  ancient  rite,  there  is  much  evidence 
to  prove  it.  Baptism  was  clearly  no  new  thing  to  the  Jews,  for 
when  John  came  preaching  "the  baptism  of  repentance  for  the 
remission  of  sins,"  "all  the  land  of  Judea,  and  they  of  Jerusalem," 
responded  to  the  call  (Mark  1:  4,  5);  which  they  would  not  have 
done  if  that  distinguishing  ordinance  had  been  new  and  strange  to 
them,  either  in  fact,  or  in  the  mode  of  its  administration.  Again, 
the  question  addressed  by  the  Priests  and  Levites  to  John:  "Why 
baptizest  thou  then,  if  thou  be  riot  that  Christ,  nor  Elias,  neither 
that  Prophet?  (Jno.  1:25),  is  conclusive  that  they  understood 
baptism,  and  that  the  ministrations  of  Christ,  Elias,  and  "that 
Prophet,"  in  the  looked  for  dispensations,  would  be  eminently 
distinguished  by  that  ordinance.  Anciently,  when  a  Gentile  was 
converted  to  the  Hebrew  faith,  he  was  baptized.  Baptism  was 
practiced  to  a  great  extent  among  the  Pagan  nations  of  the  East, 
both  bfeore  and  since  the  Christian  era.  Whence  did  this  ancient 


60  BAPTISM— ANCIENT. 

practice,  whether  among  Hebrews  or  Pagan  nations,  originate? 
Evidently  from  the  religious  ceremony  of  baptism  given  of  God  to 
his  people  in  the  beginning. 

James  Herring,  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  S. 
N.  W.,  under  date  of  New  York,  November,  1845,  wrote  M. 
M.  Noah,  a  Jewish  editor  in  New  York,  for  information  concern- 
ing the  oiigin  of  baptism  among  the  ancient  Hebrews,  saying: 
"My  attention  having  been  directed  to  the  ancient  mysteries, 
I  have  become  satisfied  that  a  species  of  baptism  was  practiced 
there  before  the  foundation  of  the  Hebrew  Commonwealth,  in 
India,  Egypt,  Greece  and  Britain;  and  as  those  mysteries  in 
the  remote  antiquity  of  their  institution,  were  intended  to  promote 
the  true  worship  of  the  Deity,  and  the  transmission  of  the  traditions 
of  the  early  ages  of  the  human  family,  the  ritual  must  have  had  one 
common  origin;  but  I  was  not  aware  [before  he  saw  it  stated 
in  Mr.  Noah's  paper  that  circumcision  and  baptism  were  inseparable 
from  the  earliest  periods  of  the  Hebrew  race. — ED.]  that  baptism 
had  been  incorporated  into  the  Jewish  rites." — New  York  Trib- 
une. 

The  idea  of  the  One  God;  of  the  virgin-born  Redeemer;  par- 
adise; the  fall  of  man;  the  temptation  through  the  serpent;  the 
cross  and  its  wondrous  saving  power;  sacrificial  offerings,  and  the 
atonement  for  sin;  the  incarnation  of  the  Creator;  the  crucifixion; 
the  resurrection;  the  pre-existence  and  immortality  of  man's  spirit; 
the  reign  of  the  Holy  One  in  peace  and  glory;  preaching  to  the 
spirits  in  prison;  the  New  Jerusalem;  the  renewal  of  the  earth, 
and  the  final  restitution,  etc.,  etc., — ideas  held  in  part  or  in  whole 
by  many  of  the  ancient  Pagan  nations  of  the  East,  as  also  in  part 
by  the  ancient  Peruvians  and  Mexicans — are  all  referable  to 
the  one  source,  viz.,  an  early  revelation  given  to  God's  people,  of 
which  these  ideas,  corrupted  though  they  be,  are  the  remaining 
traditions,  brought  down  from  Adam  and  the  antediluvian  pat- 
riarchs to  Noah;  and  from  Noah,  through  his  posterity,  to  the 
Tower;  and  from  the  Tower,  at  the  confounding  of  languages, 
they  were  borne  out  with  the  various  streams  of  emigration  to 
all  the  different  parts  of  the  world. 

These  traditions  and  practices  bear  the  unmistakable  impress  of 
those  grand  truths  that  distinguish  original  Christianity  as  taught 
by  the  prophets  and  by  Christ  and  his  apostles;  and  which,  as 
taught  in  the  Inspired  Translation,  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  the 
Book  of  Doctrine  and  Covenants,  were  revealed  of  God  to  the 
first  patriarchs  and  prophets,  from  Adam  to  Noah,  and  from  Noak 
to  Moses,  and  they  sustain  the  claims  of  these  books. 


BAPTISM— MODE.  51 

As  the  limpid  and  refreshing  streams  of  the  mountains,  spring- 
ing from  the  bosom  of  eternal  snow  go  down  and  are  defiled  and 
darkened  by  mingling  with  the  turbid  river  of  the  valleys  sweep- 
ing on,  and  on  to  the  great  sea,  so  these  wondrous,  heaven- 
born  truths,  given  to  man  in  the  morn  of  time,  and  coming  down 
through  the  ages,  have  become  obscured  and  polluted  as  they  have 
been  mixed  and  mingled  with  the  corrupting  systems  and  creeds 
of  men,  till,  at  length,  but  a  dim  shadow,  a  faint  likeness  of  their 
former  character  and  excellence  remains. 


CHAPTER  III. 

BAPTISM,    ITS    MODE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  attacks  Joseph's  account  of  the  baptism  of  O. 
Cowdery  and  himself,  after  their  first  ordination  by  the  angel; 
also  the  statement  of  the  angel  concerning  "baptism  by  immersion 
for  the  remission  of  sins." 

"If  baptism  is  immersion,  [says  Mr.  Sheldon],  then  this  angel  really  talks 
about  immersion  by  immersion.  *  *  *  Such  an  angel  ought  to  go  to  school 
before  discoursing  on  baptism." 

Baptism,  as  a  Christian  rite,  a  religious  ceremony,  (and  that  is 
what  the  angel  was  talking  about),  is  more  than  mere  immersion, 
as  we  have  said  before.  Baptism,  as  that  term  has  been  used  in 
the  true  Christian  Church,  is  a  religious  ordinance,  and  is  designed 
both  for  the.  remission  of  sins  and  as  a  means  of  initiation  into 
the  fold  and  Church  of  Christ — the  family  of  God.  To  this 
agree  both  the  Scriptures  and  primitive  church  history.  Now,  it 
was  eminently  proper  that  the  angel  should  explain  both  the  ol/ect 
of  baptism,  and  the  mxle  of  administering  the  rite,  especially 
when  we  consider  that  Joseph  and  Oliver  had  been  reared  in 
the  midst  of  a  people  who  held  that  baptism  by  sprinkling  or 
pouring  was  valid.  The  angel,  like  a  true  minister  for  Christ, 
addressed  himself  to  the  manifest  wants  of  the  case,  speaking 
to  the  understanding  of  the  young  men,  and  making  his  instruc- 
tion plain  to  their  comprehension  and  conclusive  to  their 
judgment.  If  his  manner  had  been  mysterious,  and  his  instruc- 
tions been  ambiguous,  then  there  would  have  been  good 
ground  for  questioning  his  mission.  A  true  teacher,  whether 
angel  or  otherwise,  will  suit  his  instruction  to  the  needs,  and 
to  the  understanding  of  those  whom  he  addresses. 


52  BAPTISM— REMISSION  OF  SINS. 

BAPTISM    FOR    REMISSION    OF    SINS. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  objects: 

"If  baptism  is  'for  the  remission  of  sins/  in  the  Mormon  sense  of  the  state- 
ment, instead  of  the  Bible  sense,  why  need  Joseph  have  been  baptized,  see- 
ing that  his  sins  previously  had  been  forgiven  him?" 

On  similar  grounds,  Mr.  Sheldon,  that  Cornelius  and  his  house- 
hold, whom  "God  hath  cleansed,"  (Acts  10:  15),  needed  to  be  bap- 
tized. Peter  said: 

"  Forasmuch  as  God  gave  them  the  like  gift  as  he  did  unto  us,  who  be- 
lieved on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  what  was  I,  that  I  could  withstand  God?" 
—Acts  11 : 17. 

"  Can  any  man  forbid  water  that  these  should  not  be  baptized,  which  haye 
received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as  we?  And  he  commanded  them  to  be 
baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Lord." — Acts  10:  47,  48. 

This  case  is  directly  in  point,  as  showing  that  the  Lord  may  for- 
give an  unbaptized  person  their  sins,  under  extraordinary  circum- 
stances, and  yet  the  person  be  a  proper  subject  for  future  baptism. 
Mr.  Sheldon  further  says: 

"Here  was  a  divinely  inspired  man  engaged  in  translating  ancient  records, 
and  still  a  sinner,  not  having  been  baptized  for  the  remission  of  sins,  which 
implies,  according  to  Mormon  interpretation,  the  forgiveness  of  sins." 

Mr.  Smith,  like  Cornelius  and  his  household,  whose  case  we  have 
just  cited,  had  been  graciously  "cleansed,"  or  forgiven  his  sins,  as 
Joseph's  record  states;  and  for  the  matter  of  God's  using  him  as 
an  instrument  to  do  his  work,  and  to  promote  his  glory  without 
previous  baptism,  there  is  nothing  either  unreasonable  or  unscrip- 
tural  in  it.  Caiaphas,  the  Jewish  high  priest,  who  was  neither  a 
Christian  nor  friendly  to  the  gospel,  was  moved  of  God  to  prophesy 
concerning  the  death  and  mission  of  Christ,  (Jno.  11:49-52); 
Balaam  was  used  of  God  as  an  instrument  through  whom  to 
foretell  the  future  history  of  Israel,  and  the  coming  of  Christ, 
(Num.  chapters  22,  23,  24);  Pharaoh,  (Gen.  41:1);  Abimelech, 
(Gen.  20:  3-7),  Nebuchadnezzar,  (Dan.  2);  and  others  not  identified 
with  God's  people,  were  used  of  God  in  revealing  his  marvelous 
purposes  and  doings.  So  also  Josephus,  the  Jewish  general  and 
historian,  (Wars,  B.  3,  ch.  8,  sec.  9).  With  these  precedent! 
before  us,  it  is  not  at  all  strange  to  Bible  believers  that  the  Lord 
should  call  and  use  Joseph  in  the  divine  work  of  either  prophesy- 
ing, baptizing,  ordaining,  or  translating  records,  prior  to  hi« 
baptism,  in  laying  the  foundation  of  the  latter  day  work. 

ORDINATION    OF    JOSEPH    AND    OLIVER. 

Mr.    Sheldon    professes    to    see     something   very    unreasonable 


JOSEPH  ORDAINS  OLIVER.  53 

in  Joseph  and  Oliver,  when  mutually  ordaining  each  other  after 
having  been  ordained  by  the  angel.  He  says  the  angel  "virtually 
repudiates  his  own  act  of  ordination  by  commanding  them  to 
ordain  each  other."  We  are  not  aware  of  there  being  any  Bible 
precedent  by  which  to  prove  the  scripturalness  of  this  procedure, 
yet  there  is  an  act  of  our  Savior  in  which  the  same  principle 
is  involved: 

"And,  behold,  there  came  a  leper  and  worshiped  him,  saying,  Lord,  if  thou 
wilt,  thou  canst  make  me  clean.  And  Jesus  put  forth  his  hand,  and  touched 
him,  saying,  I  will;  be  thou  clean.  And  immediately  his  leprosy  was 
cleansed.  And  Jesus  saith  unto  him,  See  thou  tell  no  man ;  but  go  thy  way, 
shew  thyself  to  the  priest,  and  offer  the  gift  that  Moses  commanded,  for  a 
testimony  unto  them." — Matt.  8:  2-4. 

Jesus  did  not  "repudiate  his  own  act,"  by  commanding  the  leper 
to  comply  with  the  law  provided  for  cleansing  leprosy,  (Lev.  13:3- 
10);  nor  did  the  angel  repudiate  his  own  act  of  ordination  by  com- 
manding Joseph  and  Oliver  to  comply  with  the  law  governing 
ordinations.  The  command  was  highly  proper,  and  in  perfect 
harmony  with  the  teachings  and  doings  of  Christ  and  the  apostles, 
who  always  paid  respect  to  the  law  and  order  of  God.  Though 
the  leper  was  "immediately"  cleansed  by  Jesus,  yet  he  was 
commanded  to  "offer  the  gift  that  Moses  had  commanded," 
for  a  testimony  unto  them"  (meaning,  evidently,  the  priest  and  the 
people  who  chanced  to  know  of  his  leprosy);  so  Joseph  and 
Oliver,  though  ordained  by  the  angel,  were  commanded  to  ordain 
each  other,  upon  vote  of  the  Saints,  "for  a  testimony  to 
them,"  and  to  all  interested,  and  in  respect  to  the  law  and  order  of 
God. 

SONS    OF    LEVI. 

Again  Mr.  Sheldon  objects,  that 

"This  same  angel  intimates  that  the  sons  of  Levi  are  again  to  offer  an  of- 
fering unto  the  Lord,  which  would  be  a  repudiation  of  Christ,  the  great  anti- 
typical  sacrifice,  by  again  introducing  the  shadow." 

Their  making  in  the  future  an  offering  unto  the  Lord  would  be 
no  more  a  repudiation  of  Christ,  than  Christ's  eating  the  passover, 
in  the  future,  in  the  kingdom  of  God,  (Luke  22:16),  would  be 
a  repudiation  of  Christ  himself.  It  is  not  improbable  that  in  the 
world  to  come,  when  Christ  reigns  as  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of 
lords,  many  ceremonies  will  be  performed,  not  as  types  pointing 
to  the  future,  but  as  memorials  commemorative  of  the  past,  such  as 
the  passover  once  was,  and  such  as  the  sacrament  now  is.  On  this 
hypothesis  we  can  explain  and  reconcile  the  prophetic  visions  of 
Ezekiel,' chapters  40  to  48;  Zech.  14:16-21;  Isa.  66:  21-23,  etc. 


54  JOHN,  A  PRIEST. 

Ceremonies  may  be,  and  sometimes  are,  both  typical  and  com- 
memorative at  the  same  time.  Such  was  the  passover.  It  pointed 
back  to  that  terrible  night  in  Egypt  when  the  Lord  destroyed 
Egypt's  first-born  and  passed  over  faithful  Israel,  and  also  pointed 
forward  to  the  Lord  Jesus,  "our  passover"  lamb. 

(rod  has  promised  by  Isaiah  that,  in  the  final  gathering  of  Israel 
from  all  lands,  and  from  the  "isles  of  the  sea,"  (Isa.  66:  19,  20),  he 
will  "take  of  them  for  priests  and  Levites."  He  has  also  promised 
that 

"  He  shall  purify  the  sons  of  Levi,  and  purge  them  as  gold  and  silver,  that 
they  may  offer  unto  the  Lord  an  offering  in  righ'eousiiess.  Then  shall  the 
offering  of  Judah  and  Jerusalem  be  pleasant  unto  the  Lord,  as  in  the  days  of 
old,  and  as  in  former  years." — Mai.  3  :,3,  4. 

It  would  not  be  an  easy  task  to  prove  that  these  promises  were 
conditional,  or  that  they  have  been  already  fulfilled,  yet  some  will 
even  undertake  to  do  one  or  both.  The  texts,  with  their  contexts, 
show  that  they  are  not  conditional;  and  further,  that  they  remain 
to  be  fulfilled  in  the  future. 

JOHN,    A    PRIEST. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"  There  is  no  proof  that  John  was  ever  ordained  a  priest.  This  point  needs 
proof — not  conjecture.  If  he  was  not  an  officiating  priest  how  could  he  hold 
the  keys  of  the  Aaronic  priesthood?" 

John  was  the  only  son  of  an  officiating  priest,  (Luke  1:5),  and 
had  a  right  to  the  priesthood  of  his  father, —  (Lev.  7:  35,  36;  Mai. 
2:  5).  Of  the  chief  and  most  important  duties  of  a  priest,  the 
Lord  says  by  Malachi,  chapter  2:6,  7: 

"The  law  of  truth  was  in  his  mouth,  and  iniquity  was  not  found  in  his 
lips  ;  he  walked  with  me  in  peace  and  equity,  and  did  turn  many  away  from 
iniquity.  For  the  priest's  lips  should  keep  knowledge, and  they  should  seek 
the  law  at  his  mouth;  for  he  is  the  messenger  of  the  Lord  of  hosts." 

John  filled  this  description  of  a  priest  in  a  most  eminent  degree. 
And  Jesus  testifies  of  him: 

''This  is  he  of  whom  it  is  written,  Behold  I  send  my  messenger  before  thy 
face,  who  shall  prepare  thy  way  before  thee." — Matt.  11 :  10. 

Besides  this,  while  the  Jews  questioned  the  authority  of  Jesus, 
they  never  questioned  the  priesthood  authority  of  John,  which  they 
evidently  would  have  done  if  they  had  known  that  he  did  not 
hold  the  priesthood.  The  masses  recognized  his  priestly  author- 
ity^to  teach  and  reprove  them,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  fact  that  "all 
Judea  and  Jerusalem"  answered  to  his  call,  and  were  baptized  of 
him  in  the  river  Jordan. — (Mark  1:1-8).  The  mere  fact  of 
the  onUnation  of  Zecharias,  or  Caiaphas,  or  Annas,  as  well  as  John 


TRUTHS,  NOT  IN  BIBLE.  55 

ifl  not  mentioned  in  Scripture,  but  it  would  be  folly  to  deny  their 
ordination  simply  because  the  Scriptures  are  silent  upon  that  point. 
Such  reasoning,  which  is  quite  common  to  Mr.  Sheldon,  would 
deny  that  the  apostles  of  Christ  were  baptized,  simply  because  no 
mention  is  made,  in  direct  terms,  of  that  fact.  The  Jews,  as  well 
as  all  the  Israel*  of  God,  well  knew  that  no  person  could  minister 
in  matters  of  religion  without  proper  priesthood  authority.  They, 
as  well  as  Pagan  worshipers,  had  too  much  sound,  practical  sense 
to  accept  the  religious  ministrations  of  any  person  unless  they 
believed  that  they  held  proper,  lawful  authority. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says:  "Death  ends  the  priesthood  of  each  priest;" 
and  he  quotes  Hebrews  7:  22  to  prove  it.  Paul  evidently  had  ref- 
erence to  this  life  only.  For  God  declares  that  there  will  be 
priests  in  the  world  to  come; — "And  hast  made  us  unto  our  God 
kings  and  priests;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth,"  (Rev.  5:  10), 
"But  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of  Christ,  and  shall 
reign  with  him  a  thousand  years." — Rev.  20:  6.  See  also  Isa.  61: 
6;  66:21,  etc.,  etc. 

And  Paul  says  of  Christ:  "Thou  art  a  priest  forever." — Heb.  5: 
6.  And  why  shall  not  his  ministers  be  also! 

MORE  TRUTH  THAX  IN  THE  BIELE. 

The  reader  will  have  noticed  ere  this,  that  Mr.  Sheldon  argues 
upon  the  assumption  that  all  questions  relative  to  matters  of  relig- 
ion must  be  settled  by  direct  proofs  from  the  Bible.  Direct 
evidence  from  that  source  is  very  excellent,  but  there  are 
many  superior  proofs  that  can  only  be  inferred;  and  there  are 
thousands  of  valid  proofs  in  matters  of  religion  outside  of  the 
Bible.  To  claim  that  all  the  facts  and  proofs  peculiar  to  the 
Christian  religion  are  embraced  within  the  Old  and  New  Tes- 
taments is  preposterous.  If  we  had  all  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  and 
all  the  teachings  of  his  apostles,  and  all  the  writings  of  the  proph- 
ets, yet  that,  great  as  it  would  be,  would  not  compass  fill  that 
relates  to  matters  of  religion  in  Christ  Jesus.  The  apostles  had 
the  "law  and  the  prophets."  And,  without  doubt,  they  had  many 
more  sacred  writings  than  what  we  now  have  in  the  Old  Testament, 
for  both  the  Savior  and  the  apostles  quote  scriptures  not  found  in 
the  common  version;  and  besides  this,  many  quotations  are  made 
by  Josephus,  professedly  from  the  old  prophets,  which  are  not  now 
found  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  may  be  seen  by  consulting  Whis- 
toris  Josephus,  pp.  38,  66,  67,  126,  277,  etc.,  etc.  They  had  also  the 
teachings  of  Jesus,  the  thousandth  part  of  which  we  probably  have 
BOt  (Jno.  21:25);  and  then  they  had  the  constant  revelations  of 


56  PRIESTHOOD. 

the  Comforter  (Jno.  14:  26;  16:  13,  14,  15).  Now,  if  we  had  all 
this,  still  we  would  not  be  justified  in  claiming  that  we  had 
all  the  truths  of  God. 

If  we  had  the  books  of  all  the  ancient  prophets  and  seers  men- 
tioned in  the  Bible,  some  twenty  or  more  in  number;  also  all  the 
writings  of  the  early  Christian  Church  for  the  first  three  centuries 
especially  the  first  epistle  which  Paul  wrote  to  the  Corinthians, 
(1  Cor.  5:9);  likewise  "the  epistle  from  Laodicea"  (Col.  4:16); 
the  epistle  of  Jude  on  the  common  salvation  (Jude  4);  and 
the  "many"  gospels  mentioned  by  Luke,  (Luke  1:  1),  we,  no  doubt, 
would  be  furnished  with  evidences  on  doctrines  and  history  which 
would  be  of  use  in  solving  questions  of  importance  in  respect  to  the 
Christian  religion.  The  idea  that  nothing  relative  to  doctrine, 
ceremony,  or  practice,  in  church  affairs  can  be  true  except  there  can 
be  found  for  it  in  the  Bible  a  direct  verbal  proof,  or  an  unquestion- 
able precedent,  is  highly  absurd.  If  the  early  Christians  had  been 
subjected  to  such  a  limited,  prohibitory  rule,  the  gospel  would 
have  been  fettered,  and  the  church  manacled.  All  the  truths 
of  Christ's  religion  are  harmonious.  There  must  be  no  conflict, 
no  contradiction,  no  confusion;  and  there  v's  none  in  the  revelations 
of  the  past  or  the  present,  and  surely  there  will  be  none  in 
the  future. 

PRIESTHOOD. 

In  respect  to  the  subject  of  the  priesthood,  Mr.  Sheldon  seeme 
painfully  sensitive.  It  seems  that  he  can  not  say  enough  against 
the  idea  that  there  is  an  authorized  priesthood  in  the  Church 
of  Christ.  He  attacks  it  again  and  again,  conscious  that  if 
that  idea  proves  true,  his  labors  in  the  ministry,  and  that  of  many 
others,  would  be  found  of  no  authority  in  Christ,  and  of  no  gospel 
power  or  value.  God  is  Judge  of  all,  and  we  will  have  no  contro- 
versy as  to  whether  Mr.  Sheldon  holds  authority  from  Christ 
or  not,  for  he  in  effect  denies  it;  but  we  shall  attempt  to  prove  that 
there  is  always  in  the  Church  of  Christ  an  authorized,  ordained 
priesthood,  whatever  may  be  the  conclusions  of  Mr.  Sheldon  and 
his  fellows. 

NECESSITY    FOR    PRIESTHOOD. 

That  any  religious  system*  could  exist  without  an  authorized 
priesthood  to  teach  its  doctrines,  administer  its  rites,  govern 
its  membership,  and  have  the  lawful  and  special  watchcare  of 
all  its  interests,  is  an  idea  quite  foreign  to  all  ancient  forms, 
whether  Christian,  Jewish,  or  Pagan.  The  ancient  Jewish  religion, 
authorized  of  God,  was  of  far  less  importance  and  value  than  the 


WHAT  IS  PRIESTHOOD?  57 

religion  of  Christ,  and  yet  it  was  of  so  much  importance  in 
the  sight  of  God  that  none  were  permitted  to  minister  the 
laws  and  ceremonies  appertaining  to  it  but  those  who  were  legally 
and  properly  called  to  its  sacred  offices.  Authoritative  power  was 
given  to  those  ministers,  and  the  power  and  grace  of  God  attended 
their  faithful  ministrations.  There  was  also  a  specific  order  pro- 
vided by  which  ministerial  authority  was  both  delegated  and 
transmitted,  so  that  there  need  be  no  mistake  in  regard  to  where 
priesthood  authority  could  be  found,  and  with  whom.  This  was 
eminently  wise  and  just,  as  order  and  good  government  are  indis- 
pensibly  essential.  Inasmuch,  then,  as  the  religion  of  Christ,  and 
the  Church  of  Christ,  are  of  far  greater  importance,  for  time  and 
eternity,  than  that  of  the  Jews  under  Moses'  law,  why  is  it  not  at 
least  equally,  nay,  more  important  to  have  an  authorized  priest- 
hood, and  well  defined  rules  in  regard  to  delegating  and  transmit- 
ting authority  in  the  Church  of  Christ? 

But  some  will  say,  "Where  are  those  rules?  We  do  not  discov- 
er them  in  the  New  Testament."  Very  true,  we  do  not  discover 
them  there  in  their  completeness,  and  there  is  good  reason  for  it. 
The  New  Testament  contains  but  a  portion  of  the  writings  given 
to  the  primitive  church.  When  we  consider  how  the  early  Chris- 
tians were  persecuted  and  driven  from  place  to  place  by  Jew  and 
Gentile,  we  may  wonder  only  that  so  much  has  been  preserved  to 
us  as  we  find  in  the  Bible.  Bingham,  in  his  Antiquities  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,  when  speaking  of  the  writings  of  the  primitive  church, 
says: 

"An  exact  and  authentic  catalogue  of  these  first  foundations,  would  be  a 
very  useful  and  entertaining  thing;  but  at  this  distance  of  time,  it  is  impossible 
to  gratify  the  world  with  any  such  curiosity,  whatever  pains  should  be  taken 
about  it.  Yet  there  are  some  scattered  remains  and  fragments  to  be  collected 
out  of  the  ancient  writers." — P.  57. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing  facts,  we  may  not  look  to  find  in  the 
writings  of  the  primitive  church  anything  beyond  fragmentary 
evidences  in  regard  to  the  subject  of  priesthood,  and  to  those  we 
appeal. 

WHAT    IS    PRIESTHOOD? 

Webster  gives  a  fair  definition  when  he  says  it  is  "The  order  of 
men  set  apart  for  sacred  offices;  the  order  composed  of  priests." 
Buck  informs  us  that  a  priest  is  "a  person  set  apart  for  the 
performance  of  sacrifice,  and  other  offices  and  ceremonies  of  religion." 
Both  Buck  and  Webster  tell  ud  that  "the  word  priest  is  a  contra- 
diction" of  the  word  presbyter,  and  "of  the  same  import  with  Elder." 
Smith,  in  his  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  says,  "Its  root-meaning,. 


58  ORIGIN  OF  PRIESTHOOD. 

uncertain  as  far  as  Hebrew  itself  is  concerned,  is  referred  by 
Gesenius  to  the  idea  of  prophecy."  He  further  says  that  Saalschutz 
considers  the  primary  meaning  of  the  word  as  equivalent  to  "min- 
ister." 

ORIGIN    OF    PRIESTHOOD. 

Of  the  orign  of  priesthood  Dr.  William  Smith  remarks: 

"The  idea  of  a  priesthood  connects  itself,  in  all  its  forms,  pure  or  corrupted, 
with  the  consciousness,  more  or  less  distinct,  of  sin.  Men  feel  that  they  have 
broken  a  law.  The  power  above  them  is  holier  than  they  are,  and  they  dare 
not  approach  it.  They  crave  for  the  intervention  of  some  one  of  whom  they 
can  think  as  likely  to  be  more  acceptable  than  themselves.  He  must  offer 
up  their  prayers,  thanksgivings,  sacrifices.  He  becomes  their  representative 
'in  things  pertaing  to  God/  He  may  become  also  (though  this  does  not  al- 
ways follow)  the  representative  of  God  to  man.  The  functions  of  priest  and 
prophet  may  exist  in  the  same  man." — Diet.  Bible,  768. 

The  foregoing  may  serve  to  place  the  subject  properly  in 
the  mind  of  the  reader,  and  dispel  any  prejudice  he  may  have 
against  the  idea  of  a  real,  genuine  priesthood  in  Christ's  Church, 
and  to  forever  explode  the  doctrine  held  by  some  that  a  priest 
must  necessarily  offer  bloody  sacrifices. 

ALL    CHRISTIANS    NOT    PRIESTS. 

Mr.  Sheldon  claims  that  there  was  no  priesthood  in  the  prim- 
itive church,  but  that  the  entire  body  of  Christians,  old  and  young, 
male  and  female,  ministers  arid  members,  constituted  the  priest- 
hood. To  prove  this,  he  quotes  1  Peter  2:9;  Revelations  1:  6,  etc. 
Peter  says,  "But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood." 

Now  this  is  clearly  to  be  understood  in  a  qualified  and  restricted 
sense,  evidently  meaning  that  the  church  as  "a  chosen  generation," 
and,  as  the  people  of  God,  possessed  within  their  midst  this  "royal 
priesthood." 

A    KINGDOM    OF    PRIESTS. 

A  passage  precisely  the  paralell  of  that  in  Peter  is  found 
in  Exodus  19:6,  and  its  interpretation  is  furnished  in  the  sub- 
sequent facts  of  Jewish  history,  so  that  there  can  be  no  cavil  as  to 
what  was  intended  in  the  promise  there  made.  It  reads,  "And  ye 
[Israel]  shall  be  unto  me  a  kingdom  of  priests,  and  a  holy  nation." 
Now  this  certainly  did  not  mean  that  each  individual  Israelite, 
male  and  female,  old  and  young,  should  be  a  priest;  if  it  did,  then 
the  promise  failed.  But  it  is  clear  that  no  such  thing  was  intend- 
ed, and  only  that  as  a  nation  and  people  they  should  possess  the 
distinguished  privilege  of  having  among  them  heavenly  appointed 
priests,  a  priesthood  appointed  of  God.  Israel  was  "a  kingdom  of 
priests,"  yet  the  priestly  office  was  restricted  and  confined  to  prob- 


PRIESTS  IN  THE  CHURCH.  59 

ably    less    than  one  in  thirty   of   their  number.       The    primitive 
church  was  "a  royal  priesthood,"  yet  the  priestly  office  was  exercised 
by  the  few,  and  not  by  all. 
The  learned  Bingham  says: — 

"But  when  his  [God's]  ministers  are  to  be  distinguished  from  the  rest  of 
his  people  in  the  church,  then  the  name  clenci,  or  clergy,  was  their  appropri- 
ate title,  and  the  name  of  the  other,  laymen.  And  this  observation  will  help 
to  set  another  sort  of  persons  right,  who  confound  not  only  the  names,  but 
the  offices  of  laity  and  clergy  together;  and  plead  that  originally  there  was 
no  distinction  between  them.  The  name  of  priesthood,  indeed,  is  sometimes 
given  in  common  to  the  whole  body  of  Christian  people;  1  Pet.  2:9;  Rev. 
1:6;  but  so  it  was  to  the  Jewish  people,  Ex.  19:  6:  'Ye  shall  be  unto  me  a 
kingdom  of  priests,  and  an  holy  nation ;  yet  every  one  knows,  that  the  offices 
of  priests  and  Levites  among  the  Jews,  were  very  distinct  from  those  of  the 
common  people,  not  by  usurpation,  but  by  God's  appointment.  And  so  it 
was  among  the  Christians,  from  the  foundation  of  the  church." — Ant.  Chris. 
Church,  p.  40. 

Bingham  further  remarks: 

"  Tertullian  says  it  wras  customary  among  heretics  to  confound  the  offices  of 
the  clergy  and  laity  together." 

The  reader  will  make  special  note  of  this.     Again: 

"  St.  Jerome  observes,  They  [the  early  Christians]  reckoned  that  to  be  no 
church,  which  had  no  priests" 

Again  Bingham  says: 

'•St.  Jerome,  who  will  be  allowed  to  speak  the  sense  of  the  ancients  *  *  * 
says  that  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament  the  high  priests  are  an  order, 
the  priests  another,  and  the  Levites  another." — P.  50. 

"  Tertullian,  in  his  book  De  Baptismo,  says,  The  right  of  baptizing  belongs 
to  the  chief  priests." 

Says  Bingham: 

"  These  allegations,  are  sufficient  evidences,  as  to  matter  of  fact,  and  the 
practice  of  the  church  in  the  first  three  ages,  that  there  was  then  an  order  of 
chief  priests,  or  bishops,  superior  to  the  presbyters,  [elders],  settled  and  al- 
lowed in  the  Christian  Church." 

Of  the  "chief  priests"  he  further  says: 

"It  was  no  human  invention,  but  an  original  settlement  of  the  apostles 
themselves,  which  they  made  by  divine  appointment." — P.  54. 

Again  Bingham: — 

"Now  this  is  most  expressly  said  by  Theodoret,  that  he  [Ignatius]  received 
the  gift  of  the  high  priesthood  from  the  hand  of  the  great  Peter." — P.  60. 

Again:— 

"If  it  be  enquired,  as  it  is  very  natural  to  ask  the  question,  why  Optatus 
gives  all  three  orders  of  Bishops,  Presbyters  [Elders]  and  Deacons,  the  title  of 
priesthood,  answer  is  plain  and  obvious ;  because  according  to  him  every  order 
had  its  share  though  in  different  degrees,  in  the  Christian  priesthood.  Whihc 


CO  PRIESTS  IN  THE  CHURCH. 

is  not,  as  some  imagine,  a  power  to  offer  Christ's  body  and  blood  really  upon 
the  altar,  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  for  the  quick  and  dead,  (which  is  such  a 
notion  of  the  Christian  priesthood,  as  no  ancient  author  or  ritual  ever  men- 
tions) ;  but  it  consists  in  a  power  and  authority  to  minister  publicly  according 
to  God's  appointment  in  holy  things,  or  things  pertaining  to  God. 
And  there  are  several  parts  to  this  power  according  to  the  different 
participation  of  which,  in  the  opinion  of  Optatus,  Bishops,  Presbyters, 
and  Deacons  had  each  their  respective  share  in  the  priesthood.  Thus 
it  was  one  act  of  the  priest's  office  to  offer  up  the  sacrifice  of  the  people's 
prayers,  praises,  and  thanksgiving  to  God,  as  their  mouth  and  ora- 
tor, and  to  make  intercession  to  God  for  them.  Another  part  of  the  office 
was  in  God's  name  to  bless  the  people,  particularly  by  admitting  them  to 
the  benefit  and  privilege  of  remission  of  sins  by  spiritual  regeneration  or  bap- 
tism. And  thus  far  Deacons  were  anciently  allowed  to  minister  in  holy 
things,  as  mediators  between  God  and  the  people.  Upon  which  account  a 
late  learned  writer  joins  entirely  with  Optatus,  in  declaring  Deacons  to  be 
sharers  in  this  lowest  degree  of  the  Christian  priesthood.  Above  this  was  the 
power  of  offering  up  to  God  the  people's  sacrifices  at  the  altar;  that  is,  as  Mr. 
Mede  and  others  explain  them,  first  the  eucharistical  oblations  of  bread  and 
wine,  to  agnize  or  acknowledge  God  to  be  the  Lord  of  the  creatures;  thenx 
the  sacrifice  of  prayer  and  thanksgiving  in  commemoration  of  Christ's  bloody" 
sacrifice  upon  the  cross,  mystically  represented  in  the  creatures  of  bread  and 
wine;  which  whole  sacred  action  was  commonly  called  the  Christians' 
reasonable,  unbloody  sacrifice,  or  the  sacrifice  of  the  altar.  Now  the  Deacons 
(as  we  shall  see  in  another  chapter)  were  never  allowed  to  offer  these  obla- 
tions at  the  altar,  but  it  wns  always  a  peculiar  act  of  the  Presbyter's  [Elder's] 
office,  which  was  therefore  reckoned  a  superior  degree  of  the  priesthood. 
Another  act  of  the  priestly  office  was  to  interpret  the  mind  and  will  of  God 
to  the  people;  as  also  to  bless  them  solemnly  in  his  name." — pps.  246,  247, 
248. 

JOHX,    THE    APOSTLE,    A    PRIEST. 

We  now  turn  to  Eusebius,  from  whose  writings  we  obtain 
further  evidence  that  there  was  priesthood  in  the  Primitive  Chris- 
tian Church.  First,  "Polycrates,  who  was  Bishop  of  the  Church 

of  Ephesus,"  says: 

"John,  that  rested  on  the  bosom  of  our  Lord,  who  was  a  priest  that  bore 
the  sacerdotal  [priestly]  plate." 

This  plate  was  thought  by  some  to  be  similar  to,  if  not  identical 
with  the  ephod  of  the  high  priest. 

ORIGEX,    A    PRIEST. 

Eusebius  says  of  Origen,  "He  had  not  yet  obtained  the  priesthood 
by  the  laying  on  of  hands." — p.  240.  Again: 

"At  this  time  Origen,  being  compelled  by  some  necessary  affairs  of  the 
church,  went  to  Greece  by  way  of  Palestine,  where  he  received  the  ordina- 
tion to  the  priesthood,  at  Cesarea,  from  the  bishops  of  that  country." — p.  243. 

Much  more  evidence  might  be  given  from  this  source,  but  this 
may  suffice,  as  we  establish  the  fact  by  Eusebius  and  the  otherg 


PRIESTHOOD  TRANSMITTED.  01 

that  there  was  priesthood  in  the  primitive  church,  and  that  it  could 
be  obtained  only  by  legal  ordination,  and  not  by  virtue  of  being 
merely  a  member,  as  Mr.  Sheldon  claims.  We  further  note  that 
the  Apostle  John  "was  a  priest  that  bore  the  sacerdotal  plate"- 
the  insignia  of  the  high  priest.  From  Bingham  we  learn,  by 
abundant  proofs,  not  only  that  there  was  in  the  primitive  church 
an  ordained  priesthood,  but  one  of  degrees,  and  that  it  was 
"no  invention"  of  man,  but  ordained  of  God,  and  that  none 
but'"heretics  opposed"  the  idea.  We  also  learn  that  there  were 
"chief  priests,"  "high  priests,"  "priests,"  and  "Levites."  We  also 
learn  from  him  of  the  distinction  of  their  respective  offices,  and  of 
their  degrees  of  authority  and  spiritual  power.  We  also  learn 
how  the  early  Christians  interpreted  1  Peter  2:5  and  Revelations 
1:  6,  that  they  interpreted  them  as  meaning  the  same  as  the  prom- 
ise in  Exodus  19:6,  viz.,  that  there  was  in  the  church  "a  royal 
priesthood,"  and  not  that  every  member  was  an  officiating  priest, 
as  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his  kind  would  hold.  Such  a  claim  as  his  is 
the  height  of  absurdity,  and  savors  much  of  "Mystery  Babylon." 

TRANSMISSION    OF    PRIESTHOOD. 

Not  only  was  there  priesthood  in  the  primitive  church,  but  there 
were  strict  rules  in  regard  to  its  transmission.  For  as  it  was 
important  under  the  law  that  "no  man  taketh  this  honor  unto  him- 
self, but  he  that  is  called  of  God  as  was  Aaron,"  so  under  the  gos- 
pel it  was,  and  is  now  essential  that  no  man  takes  the  ministry  or 
priesthood  upon  himself,  except  he  be  called  of  God  and  ordained 
according  to  the  divine  rule.  Persons  taking  part  in  the  ministry 
must  be  ordained  by  those  having  authority,  otherwise  their  minis- 
trations are  valueless.  To  act  "in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  is  to  act  by  their  authority. 
This  authority  no  one  can  get  from  the  Bible,  but  only  by  being 
divinely  called  and  set  apart  to  minister  in  that  name.  I  would  be 
far  more  safe  and  proper  for  persons  to  read  the  statutes  of  our 
land,  and  then,  without  being  duly  called  to  and  legally  qualified  in 
an  office  undertake  to  officiate  therein,  than  to  read  the  Bible  and 
then,  without  divine  calling  and  consecration,  undertake  to  officiate 
in  the  things  of  God.  Are  the  things  of  God  less  important  than 
those  of  human  governments?  And  should  they  not  be  more  care- 
fully guarded?  Should  the  offices  in  Christ's  Church  be  less 
protected  from  encroachment,  from  lawlessness,  abuse  and  confu- 
sion, than  the  offices  in  human  governments?  To  state  these 
questions  is  to  answer  them,  with  any  thoughtful,  unprejudiced 
mind. 


62  MELCHIZEDEK  PRIESTHOOD. 

Mr.  Sheldon  claims  that  the  Aaronic  priesthood  was  not  in  the 
primitive  church.  He  says,  "It  never  had  a  place  there."  Possi- 
bly it  did  not  so  far  as  name  is  concerned,  and  yet  be  in  it  in  fact, — 
so  far  as  authority  is  concerned.  See  Ephesians  4:11,  12,  etc. 
This  authority,  or  priesthood,  was  not  denominated  Aaronic  or 
Levitical,  until  in  Israel  it  was  given  to  Aaron  and  the  family 
of  Levi,  yet  the  same  priesthood  in  kind  existed  before." — Ex.  28: 
1-3,  41;  Num.  3:  10-12,  and  18:  1-7. 

MELCHIZEDEK    PRIESTHOOD. 

Mr.  Sheldon  also  tells  us  that  the  Melchizedek  priesthood  was 
not  in  the  church;  and  further,  that  Christ  was  not  a  priest  till  he 
reached  heaven!  If  no  one  can  hold  the  Melchisedek  priesthood 
on  earth,  how  did  it  happen  that  Melchisedek  was  so  favored  as 
to  hold  and  exercise  it  in  the  time  of  Abraham?  If  Christ  did  not 
hold  priesthood  on  earth,  by  what  authority  did  he  baptize,  ordain 
others,  preach  the  gospel,  and  administer  the  sacrament  of  bread 
and  wine?  He  was  very  particular  to  comply  with  the  law  of  bap- 
tism, and  is  it  presumable  that  he  would  be  less  particular  in 
respect  to  priestly  authority  and  prerogatives?  He  verily  per- 
formed the  functions  of  a  priest  in  teaching  and  ministering  and 
even  in  the  offering  of  a  bloody  sacrifice  upon  the  cross;  and  shall 
we  say  that  he  did  all  this  without  holding  priesthood  authority? 
Nay,  verily.  The  idea  is  as  false  as  it  is  derogatory  to  the  char- 
acter of  our  great  High  Priest.  He  was  a  priest  when  he  offered 
himself  upon  Calvary  for  a  ruined  race;  and  he  was  a  priest 
before  that, — he  was  manifestly  one  from  the  very  beginning  of 
his  ministry. 

"•But,"  says  Mr.  Sheldon,  "Paul  says,  'If  he  were  on  earth 
he  should  not  be  a  priest,  seeing  that  there  are  priests  that  offer 
gifts  according  to  the  law.'  "  Precisely;  he  would  not  be  that  kind 
of  a  priest  of  which  Paul  is  speaking — an  Aaronic  priest,  but  this 
does  not  say  he  he  would  not  be  a  Melchizedek  priest. 

CHRIST    A    MELCHIZEDEK    PRIEST. 

Christ  was  a  priest  while  on  earth,  for  it  was  here  that  he  began 
the  work  of  sacrifice  and  offering.  None  could  administer  in  that 
respect  unless  he  was  a  priest.  The  sacrifices  and  offerings  of 
Christ  and  his  ministry  differ  in  kind  from  those  of  the  Aaronic 
priests  under  the  law,  yet  both  orders  of  priests  ministered 
before  the  Lord.  And  that  Christ  was  a  Melchizedek  "priest" 
while  on  earth  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  "the  high  priest  entereth  into 
the  holy  place;"  so  that  Christ  must  have  been  a  high  priest  before 


MELCHIZEDEK  PRIESTHOOD.  65 

he   could   enter  into  the  antitypical  "holy   place,"  even   heaven. 
(Heb.  9:  23-25). 

OTHER    MELCHIZEDEK    PRIESTS. 

We  have  shown,  on  pages  13  and  14,  that  Moses  held  higher 
priesthood  than  Aaron;  and  that  Jethro  was  a  priest  of  God, 
though  not  of  the  order  of  Aaron;  also  that  many  of  the  pat- 
riarchs, including  Melchizedek  and  others,  were  priests;  and  we 
have  also  shown  the  probabilities  of  some  of  them  having  been  of 
the  higher  order  with  Melchizedek.  And  we  are  not  alone  in  con- 
cluding that  they  were  Melchizedek  priests.  Smith,  in  his  Dictionary 
of  the  Bible,  says  that  the  New  Testament  writers  "recognize  in 
Christ,  the  First-born,  the  King,  the  Anointed,  the  Representative 
of  the  true  primeval  priesthood  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek,  from 
which  that  of  Aaron,  however  necessary  for  the  time,  is  now  seen 
to  have  been  a  deflection." — Art.  Priest.  This  is  the  very  sensible 
result  of  his  profound  researches  upon  this  subject;  and  it  is  har- 
mony with  the  statements  made  by  Joseph  Smith,  the  young 
prophet  and  seer,  in  Doctrine  and  Covenants  104:  3: 

"There  are,  in  the  church,  two  priesthoods,  namely:  the  Melchizedek  and 
the  Aaronic,  including  the  Levitical  priesthood.  Why  the  first  is  called  the 
Melchilzedek  priesthood  is  because  Melchizedek  was  such  a  great  high  priest : 
before  his  day  it  was  called  the  holy  priesthood,  after  the  order  of  the  Son  of 
God;  but  out  of  respect  or  reverence  to  the  name  of  the  Supreme  Being,  to 
avoid  the  too  frequent  repetition  of  his  name,  they,  the  church,  in  ancient 
days,  called  that  priesthood  after  Melchizedek,  or  the  Melchizedek  priest- 
hood. All  other  authorities,  or  offices  in  the  church  are  appendages  to  this 
priesthood;  but  there  are  two  divisions,  or  grand  heads — one  is  the  Melchi- 
zedek priesthood,  and  the  other  is  the  Aaronic  or  Levitical  priesthood.  * 
The  second  priesthood  is  called  the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  because  it  was  con- 
ferred upon  Aaron  and  his  seed,  throughout  all  their  generations.  Why  it 
is  called  the  lesser  priesthood  is,  because  it  is  an  appendage  to  the  greater,  or 
the  Melchizedek  priesthood." 

Here  is  furnished  a  reasonable  solution  of  what  would  otherwise 
be  a  very  complicated  and  troublesome  question.  That  there  were 
various  priestly  offices  and  officers  before  the  law,  under  the  law, 
and  under  the"  gospel,  is  manifest  from  the  Scriptures  and  from 
church  history;  but  their  respective  degrees  of  authority,  their 
duties,  rights,  and  privileges,  as  also  the  manner  in  which  they 
were  conferred  and  transmitted,  are  matters  not  so  clearly  and 
definitely  stated  in  former  day  Scriptures  as  could  be  desired.  If 
we  had  all  the  sacred  writings  given  before  the  law,  under  the  law, 
and  under  the  gospel,  with  the  full  history  of  the  church  for  the 
first  three  centuries,  then,  no  doubt,  much  if  not  all  of  the  difficulty 


64  TWO  PRIESTHOODS. 

that  now  surrounds  this  subject  would  be  removed  from  those  who 
rely  alone  on  Bible  evidences,  excluding  all  else. 

BOTH    PRIESTHOODS    BUT    ONE. 

It  would  seem  that  before  the  law,  all  the  priestly  offices  were 
held  as  belonging  to  one  priesthood;  and  also  that  under  the 
gospel  they  were  so  held,  though  the  same  priestly  authority  that 
was  conferred  upon  Aaron  and  his  seed  existed  before  the  times  of 
the  law,  and  was  likewise  in  the  church  after  the  law,  as  a  code,  was 
abrogated.  Both  priesthoods  are  but  one  priesthood,  and  are  two 
only  in  the  sense  of  there  being  two  divisions. 

"  All  other  authorities,  or  offices  in  the  church  [including  the  Aaaronic 
priesthood]  are  appendages  [something  added]  to  this  [Melchizedek] 
priesthood."— D.  &  C.  104: a. 

This  may  account  for  there  being  more  offices  in  the  early 
Christian  Church  than  there  appears  to  have  been  among  God's 
people  in  the  times  of  the  patriarchs,  though  both  peoples  held  to 
the  same  priesthood.  And  it  may  also  explain  any  real  or  seeming 
difference  in  the  arrangement  of  the  priesthood  in  the  church  now, 
from  what  there  was  in  any  former  time.  The  church  grows, 
develops  and  takes  on  advanced  conditions,  but  all  in  harmony 
with  fundamental  and  preceding  conditions. 

OFFICES    OF    PRIESTHOOD. 

"  When  he  [Christ]  ascended  up  on  high,  he  led  captivity  captive,  and 
gave  gifts  unto  men.  .  .  .  And  he  gave  some,  apostles ;  and  some,  prophets ; 
and  some,  evangelists ;  and  some  pastors  and  teachers." — Eph.  4  : 8-11. 

There  were  different  officers,  yet  all  and  each  possessed  author- 
ity in  the  priesthood  of  the  Christian  Church.  And  it  is  a  fact  to 
be  borne  in  mind,  that  all  these  were  not  called  and  ordained 
at  once,  but  only  as  the  Master  saw  that  there  was  need  for  them; 
and  this  principle  applies  with  equal  propriety  in  these  latter 
times.  Apostles  continued  to  be  given  of  Christ  after  his  ascen- 
sion, as  also  prophets  and  various  other  officers  for  "helps" 
and  "governments.  (1  Cor.  12:  28,  and  Eph.  4:8-11). 

That  the  priesthood,  in  its  various  offices,  will  be  found,  by  the 
will  of  God,  in  the  midst  of,  and  possessed  by  his  people  in  the 
latter  days,  as  also  the  millennium,  and  throughout  eternity,  is  just 
as  true  as  holy  writ;  for  the  Lord  says  of  his  restored  people, — 
"But  ye  shall  be  named  the  priests  of  the  Lord:  men  shall  call  you 
the  ministers  of  our  God:  ye  shall  eat  the  riches  of  the  Gentiles, 
and  in  their  glory  shall  ye  boast  yourselves."  This  is  confirmed 
by  the  following:  "And  I  will  also  take  of  them  for  priesti 
and  for  Levites,  saith  the  Lord." — Isa.  66:21.  See  also  Ezek. 


JOSEPH  AND  OLIVER  PEIESTS.  65 

40:  45;  42:  13;  44:  30;  45:  4;  48:  10,  11;  also  Joel  2:  17,  with 
Jer.  31:14.  That  the  early  Christian  Church  possessed  the  priest- 
hood of  God  in  great  or  entire  fulness,  may  be  seen  from  the  testi- 
mony of  Peter: 

"But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood" — I  Peter  2  :  9. 

John,  the  revelator,  about  A.  D.  96,  testifies  of  Christ  to  the 
seven  churches  of  Asia  and  says: 

"  Unto  him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood, 
and  hath  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  his  Father." — Rev.  1 :  5,  6. 

And  in  chapter  5,  verses  8  to  10,  the  "saints"  testify  of  "the 
Lamb,"  saying: 

"  Thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed  us  to  God  by  the  blood  out  of  every 
kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  nation ;  and  hast  made  us  unto  our 
God  kings  and  priests;  and  we  shall  reign  on  the  earth." 

And  that  the  priesthood  of  God  is  continuous  and  eternal,  is 
clearly  set  forth  in  these  texts: 

"Blessed  and  holy  is  he  that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection  :  on  such 
the  second  death  hath  no  power,  but  they  shall  be  priests  of  God  and  of 
Christ,  and  shall  reign  with  him  a  thousand  years." — Chapter  20 :  6. 

These  texts  cover  the  entire  ground  and  show  that  God's  people 
always  possesses  genuine,  authoritative  priesthood,  both  in  this 
world  and  forever. 

Is  there  any  thing  incredible  in  the  idea  that  John  was  one  of 
that  number?  We  think  not.  It  is  probable  that  all  the  bodies 
of  the  Saints  who  were  found  worthy  came  forth  at  that  time;  and 
none,  we  trust,  will  question  the  worthiness  of  John. 

JOSEPH  AND  OLIVER  ORDAINED  BY  JOHN  BAPTIST. 

"  How  [says  Mr.  Sheldon]  did  Joseph  know  that  it  was  John  that  ordained 
him?" 

Probably  in  a  similar  manner  as  Daniel  knew  that  it  was  "the 
man  Gabriel"  whom  he  had  seen  in  a  vision,  (Dan.  9:  21);  or  that 
Mary  knew  that  it  was  "the  angel  Gabriel"  that  ministered  to  her, 
(Luke  1:  26);  or  that  Paul  knew  that  it  was  Jesus  that  appeared 
unto  him  in  the  way  to  Damascus.  These  parties  were  fully  satis- 
fied that  the  ministrations  in  their  cases  were  genuine  and  really 
divine.  All  the  surrounding  conditions  were  such  as  to  forbid  im- 
posture. So  in  regard  to  the  ordination  of  Joseph  and  Oliver  by 
the  angel  John  the  Baptist.  We  herewith  subjoin  portions  of  their 
account  of  that  very  remarkable  event.  Joseph  says: 

"  We  still  continued  the  work  of  translation,  when,  in  the  ensuing  month, 
(May,  1829),  we  on  a  certain  day  went  into  the  woods  to  pray  and  inquire  of 
the  Lord  respecting  baptism  for  the  remission  of  sins,  as  weYound  mention- 


66  OLIVEE'S  TESTIMONY. 

ed  in  the  translation  of  the  plates.  While  we  were  thus  employed,  praying 
and  calling  upon  the  Lord,  a  messenger  from  heaven  descended  in  a  cloud  of 
light  and  having  laid  his  hands  upon  us,  he  ordained  us,  saying  unto  us, 
'Upon  you,  my  fellow  servants,  in  the  name  of  Messiah,  I  confer  the  priest- 
hood of  Aaron,  which  holds  the  keys  of  the  ministering  of  angels,  and  of  the 
gospel  of  repentance,  and  of  baptism  by  immersion  for  the  remission  of  sins; 
and  this  shall  never  be  taken  again  from  the  earth,  until  the  sons  of  Levi  do 
offer  again  an  offering  unto  the  Lord  in  righteousness.'  "—Times  and  Seasons, 
vol.  8,  p.  726. 

Oliver's  testimony  is  as  follows: 

"  After  writing  the  account  given  of  the  Savior's  ministry  to  the  remnant, 
of  the  ^eed  of  Jacob,  upon  this  continent,  it  was  easily  to  be  seen,  as  the  pro- 
phet said  would  be,  that  darkness  covered  the  earth  and  gross  darkness  the 
minds  of  the  people.  On  reflecting  further,  it  was  easily  to  be  seen,  that 
amid  the  great  strife  and  noise  concerning  religion,  none  had  authority  from 
God  to  administer  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel.  For,  the  question  might  be 
asked,  have  men  authority  to  administer  in  the  name  of  Christ  who  deny 
revelation?  when  his  testimony  is  no  less  than  the  spirit  of  prophecy? 
(Rev.  19:  10],  and  his  religion  based,  built  and  sustained  by  immediate 
revelation  in  all  ages  of  the  world  when  he  has  had  a  people  on  earth?  If 
these  facts  were  buried,  and  carefully  concealed  by  men  whose  craft  would 
have  been  in  danger,  if  once  permitted  to  shine  in  the  faces  of  men,  they 
were  no  longer  to  us  ;  and  we  only  waited  for  the  commandment  to  be  given, 
'Arise  and  be  baptized.' 

"  This  was  not  long  desired  before  it  was  realized.  The  Lord,  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  and  ever  willing  to  answer  the  consistent  prayer  of  the  humble, 
after  we  had  called  upon  him  in  a  fervent  manner,  aside  from  the  abodes  of 
men,  condescended  to  manifest  to  us  his  will.  On  a  sudden,  as  from  the 
midst  of  eternity,  the  voice  of  the  Redeemer  spake  peace  to  us,  while  the 
vail  was  parted,  and  the  angel  of  God  came  down  clothed  with  glory,  and 
delivered  the  anxiously  looked  for  message,  and  the  keys  of  the  gospel  of  re- 
pentance! What  joyf  What  wonder!  What  amazement!  While  the 
world  was  racked  and  distracted — while  the  millions  were  groping  as  the 
blind  for  the  wall,  and  while  all  men  were  resting  upon  uncertainty,  as  a 
general  mass,  our  eyes  beheld — our  ears  heard.  As  in  the  'blaze  of  day;' 
yes,  more — above  the  glitter  of  the  May  sunbeam,  which  then  shed  its  bril- 
liancy over  the  face  of  nature!  Then  his  voice,  though  mild,  pierced  to  the 
center,  and  his  words,  'I  am  thy  fellow  servant,'  dispelled  every  fear.  We 
listened — we  gazed — we  admired !  'Twas  the  voice  of  the  angel  from  glory 
—'twas  a  message  from  the  Most  High !  and  as  we  heard  we  rejoiced,  while 
his  love  enkindled  upon  our  souls,  and  we  were  wrapt  in  the  vision  of  the 
Almighty!  Where  was  room  for  doubt?  No  where:  uncertainty  had  fled, 
doubt  had  sunk,  no  more  to  rise,  while  fiction  and  deception  had  fled  for- 
ever ! 

"  But,  dear  brother,  think,  further  think  for  a  moment,  what  joy  filled  our 
hearts,  and  with  what  surprise  we  must  have  bowed,  'for  who  would  not 
have  bowed  the  knee  for  such  a  blessing?  when  we  received  under  his  hand 
the  holy  priesthood,  as  he  said,  'Upon  you,  my  fellow  servants,  in  the  name 
of  Messiah,  I  confer  this  priesthood,,  and  this  authority,  which  shall  remain 
upon  earth,  that  the  sons  of  Levi  may  yet  offer  an  offering  unto  the  Lord  in 
righteousness. 

"  I  shall  not  attempt  to  paint  to  you  the  feelings  of  this  heart,  nor  the  ma- 


OLIVER'S  TESTIMONY.  67 

jestic  beauty  and  glory  which  surrounded  us  on  this  occasion;  but  you  will 
believe  me  when  I  say  that  earth,  nor  men,  with  the  eloquence  of  time,  can 
not  begin  to  clothe  language  in  as  interesting  and  sublime  a  manner  as  this 
holy  personage.  No;  nor  has  this  earth  power  to  give  the  joy,  to  bestow 
the  peace,  or  comprehend  the  wisdom  which  was  contained  in  each  sentence 
as  they  were  delivered  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit !  Man  may  deceive 
his  fellow  man ;  deception  may  follow  deception,  and  the  children  of  the 
wicked  one  may  have  power  to  seduce  the  foolish  and  untaught,  till  naught 
but  fiction  feeds  the  many,  and  the  fruit  of  falsehood  carries  in  its  current 
the  giddy  to  the  grave ;  but  one  touch  with  the  finger  of  his  love,  yes,  one 
ray  of  glory  from  the  upper  world,  or  one  word  from  the  mouth  of  the  Savior, 
from  the  bosom  of  eternity,  strikes  it  all  into  insignificance,  and  blots  it  for- 
ever from  the  mind !  The  assurance  that  we  were  in  the  presence  of  an 
angel ;  the  certainty  that  we  heard  the  voice  of  Jesus,  and  the  truth  unsul- 
lied as  it  flowed  from  a  pure  personage,  dictated  by  the  will  of  God,  is  to  me 
past  description,  and  I  shall  ever  look  upon  this  expression  of  the  Savior's 
goodness  with  wonder  and  thanksgiving  while  I  am  permitted  to  tarry,  and 
in  those  mansions  where  perfection  dwells,  and  sin  never  comes,  I  hope  to 
adore  in  that  DAY  which  shall  never  cease." — Messenger  and  Advocate,  Octo- 
ber, 1834. 

Where  was  there  a  chance  for  these  men  to  be  deceived?  Their 
hearts  were  set  to  do  the  will  of  God;  and  at  the  time  of  the  vision 
they  had  gone  "aside  from  the  abodes  of  men,"  and  called  upon 
the  Lord  in  a  fervent  manner,  or,  as  Joseph  puts  it,  "We,  on  a  cer- 
tain day,  went  into  the  woods  to  pray  and  inquire  of  the  Lord;" 
and  here,  under  these  circumstances,  they  heard  "the  voice  of  the 
Lord,"  and  "the  vail  was  parted  and  the  angel  of  the  Lord  came 
down  clothed  with  glory;  *  *  *  then  his  voice,  though  mild, 
pierced  to  the  center,  and  his  words,  'I  am  thy  fellow  servant'  dis- 
pelled every  fear."  Surely,  we  may  say  with  Oliver,  "Where  was 
room  for  doubt?"  It  is  preposterous  to  claim  that  they  were  de- 
ceived. The  whole  of  the  surrouddings  of  the  case,  as  they  give 
it,  utterly  forbid  such  an  idea.  They  saw  the  vision,  and  received 
the  ordination,  as  they  claim,  under  the  hands  of  the  angel,  or  else 
they  were  the  vilest  impostors  known  to  history.  They  could  not 
have  been  deceived  in  the  matter.  These  men  lived  and  died  bear- 
ing this  testimony,  Joseph  Smith  at  Carthage  jail,  Illinois,  June 
27th,  1844,  and  Oliver  Cowdery  at  Richmond,  Ray  county,  Mis- 
souri, March  3d,  1850. 

We  have  occupied  more  space  in  considering  this  question  of  the 
priesthood,  and  its  restoration  in  the  latter  days,  than  we  had  in- 
tended. The  only  apology  we  offer  is,  that  the  subject  seems  to 
demand  it. 


68 


CHAPTER    IV. 

LEHI'S    PLATES    OF    BRASS. 

Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  he  has  discovered  another  error  in  the  pro- 
phecy of  Lehi  respecting  the  brass  plates,  where  he  says  that, 

•'These  plates  of  brass  should  go  forth  unto  all  nations,  kindred,  tongues, 
and  people,  who  were  of  his  seed." — 1  Nephi  1 :  48- 

And  he  further  says: 

"Whether  this  language  be  applied  to  the  material  of  the  brass  plates,  or 
to  the  record  contained  upon  them,  the  statement  has  proven  untrue.  These 
plates  of  brass  are  represented  as  having  been  carefully  preserved  by  the 
Nephites,  and  to  have  been  handed  down  by  them  till  the  days  of  Mormon,, 
being  carefully  kept  from  the  Lamanites,  who  were  of  Lehi's  seed." 

This  is  a  technical  quibble  at  most,  and  Mr.  Sheldon  might  with 
equal  propriety  question  the  prophecy  of  Jesus,  in  Luke  21:  24  in 
regard  to  Jerusalem  and  the  Jews.  But  how  does  he  know  that 
the  Lamanites  were  reckoned  as  the  "seed"  mentioned  in  Lehi's 
prophecy?  The  prophecy  implies  that  the  plates  themselves  would 
go  only  to  the  righteous;  and  subsequent  history  shows  that  they 
did  go  only  to  them,  while  the  contents  of  the  plates  went  to  many 
of  Lehi's  posterity  who  were  not  righteous;  and  they  are  yet  to  go 
to  the  Lamanites  in  due  time.  The  plates  and  other  sacred  things, 
were  to  be  handed  down  "from  one  prophet  to  another,"  (1  Nephi 
5:  47),  and  so  they  were,  until  they  reached  Mormon,  who  hid  them 
up  unto  the  Lord,  and  wrote  as  follows: 

"Having  been  commanded  of  the  Lord  that  I  should  not  suffer  that  the 
records  which  had  been  handed  down  by  our  fathers,  which  were  sacred,  to 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Lamanites,  (for  the  Lamanites  would  destroy 
them),  therefore  I  made  this  record  out  of  the  plates  of  Nephi,  and  hid  up  in 
the  hill  Cumorah  all  the  records  which  had  been  entrusted  to  me  by  the 
hand  of  the  Lord,  save  it  were  these  few  plates  which  I  gave  unto  my  son 
Moroni." — Mormon  3:  2. 

This  confirms  the  supposition  that  the  plates  of  brass  were  de- 
signed to  go  to  none  others  than  the  righteous  of  Lehi's  posterity. 
And  the  recorded  facts  of  history  in  the  book  of  Mormon  show  its 
accomplishment.  In  1  Nephi  1  :  23,  35,  46,  47,  we  first  learn  of 
the  plates  of  brass,  and  something  of  their  contents,  and  in  para- 
graphs 25,  49,  we  learn  the  purpose  for  which  they  were  taken 
from  Laban,  and  in  chapter  6:1,  we  find  them  in  the  hands  of  the 
prophet  Nephi,  as  the  teacher  of  his  people;  and  in  chapter  5:  47> 
we  further  learned  that  the  Lord  purposed  that  these  records,  with 


LEHI'S  PLATES.  69 

"other  sacred  things,"  should  "be  kept  for  the  knowledge"  of  Ne- 
phi's  people. 

From  Nephi  they  passed  on  down  among  the  righteous,  accord- 
ing to  "lineage"  chiefly,  "from  one  prophet  to  another,"  going  first 
to  Jacob  (k) ;  Jacob  to  Enos  (I) ;  Enos  to  Jarom  (m) ;  Jarom  to 
Omni  (n);  Omni  to  Amaron  (o);  Amaron  to  Chemish  (JP);  Chem- 
ish  to  Abinadom  (q);  Abinadom  to  Amleki  (>);  Amaleki  to  Ben- 
jamin (s);  Benjamin  to  Mosiah  (t);  Mosiah  2nd  to  Alma  (u) ;  Alma 
to  Helaman  (y);  Helaman  to  Shiblon  («?);  Shiblon  to  Helaman 
2nd  (33);  Helaman  to  Nephi  (y)\  Nephi  to  Nephi  2nd  (2);  Nephi  to 
Amos  («);  Amos  to  Amos  2nd  (&);  Amos  2nd  to  Amaron  (c); 
Amoron  to  Mormon  (c/);  Mormon  hides  them  up  in  Cumorah,  ex- 
cept those  given  to  Moroni  (e}\  and  Moroni  hides  up  the  bal- 
ance (/.) 

In  this  long  line  of  transmission  we  see  that  the  sacred  things, 
including  the  brass  plates,  were  kept  among  the  righteous  of  Lehi's 
posterity,  thus  establishing  the  idea  that  only  the  righteous  of 
Lehi's  posterity  were  the  promised  "seed."  Nor  is  this  method  of 
interpretation  peculiar: 

"  They  which  be  of  faith  are  blessed  with  faithful  Abraham."— Gal.  3 :  9. 

"  And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then  are  ye  Abraham's  seed,  and  heirs  according  to 
the  promise." — Verse  29. 

"They  which  are  the  children  of  the  flesh,  these  are  not  the  children  of 
•God ;  but  the  children  of  promise  are  counted  for  the  seed." — Eom.  9  :  8. 

The  principle  applying  in  the  case  of  Abraham,  applies  equally 
well  in  the  case  of  Lehi.  The  Lord  said  that  it  was  not  meet  for 
him,  Lehi,  that  he  should  take  his  family  into  the  wilderness  alone; 
Ibut  that  his  sons  should  take  daughters  to  wife,  that  they  might 
"raise  up  seed  unto  the  Lord  in  the  land  of  promise."  Those  who 
by  righteousness  proved  themselves  to  be  the  Lord's  "seed,"  were 
the  seed  of  righteous  Lehi,  and  the  ones  to  whom  the  promise  was 
made.  But  granting  that  the  "seed"  mentioned  embraces  both  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked  of  Lehi's  posterity,  then  there  is  yet 
time  for  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise. 

WHO  SHOULD  SEE  PLATES  OF  MORMON. 

And  now  comes  one  of  the  characteristics  perversions  of  Mr. 
Sheldon.  He  says: 

"  The  plates  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  were  to  be  seen  by  three  witnesses, 
and  'none  else ;'  yet  they  were  shown  to  eight  others." 

(fc)  Jacob  1 :  1.  (I)  Jacob  5:  9.  (m)  Jarom  1:  1.  (n)  Jarom  1:0.  (o)  Omni  1:  2.  (p)  Omni 
7;  3.  (3)  Omni  1:  5.  (r)  Omni  1 :  6.  (s)  Omni  1:  12.  (t)  Mosiah  1:  3.  («)  Mosiah  13:  1.  (v)  Al- 
ma 17:  5.  (w)  Alma  30:  L  (3--)  Alma  30:  5.  (y)  Helaman  2;  6.  (2)  Nephi  1:1.  (a)  Nephi  1:6. 
{&)  Nephi  1:7.  (c)  Nephi  1:  11.  (d)  Mormon  1:  1;  2:  3.  (e)  Mormon  3:  2.  (/)  Moroni  10:  1. 


70  PLATES  OF  MORMON. 

And  to  prove  his  assertion  he  quotes  D.  C.  4  :  3,  which  reads: 

"This  generation  shall  have  my  word  through  you;  and  in  addition  to 
your  testimony,  the  testimony  of  three  of  my  servants,  whom  I  shall  call  and 
ordain,  unto  whom  I  [will]  show  these  things,  and  they  shall  go  forth  with 
my  words  that  are  given  through  you;  yea,  they  shall  know  of  a  surety  that 
these  things  are  true ;  for  from  heaven  will  I  declare  it  unto  them ;  I  will 
give  them  power  that  they  may  behold  and  view  these  things  as  they  are; 
and  to  none  else  will  I  grant  this  power  to  receive  this  [same]  testimony, 
among  this  generation." 

In  the  first  place  Mr.  Sheldon  has  not  quoted  correctly,  and  in 
the  next  place  he  has  utterly  perverted  the  sense  and  intention  of 
the  text.  The  word  "will"  enclosed  in  brackets,  he  has  quoted 
shall'  the  word  "same,"  enclosed  in  brackets  he  has  left  entirely 
out.  In  this  we  see  recklessness  and  unreliability,  whether  for 
want  of  honest  purpose  or  through  lack  of  mental  calibre,  we  shall 
not  undertake  to  decide.  The  word  "same"  is  very  essential  to 
the  passage,  as  it  points  to  the  identity  and  quality  of  the  testimony 
spoken  of.  No  one  but  the  three,  in  connection  with  Joseph,  should 
have  "this  same  testimony"  relative  to  the  plates;  which  testimony 
was,  (1)  the  hearing  the  voice  of  God  out  of  heaven  concerning 
the  plates,  and  their  translation  by  Joseph;  and  (-2)  that  the  Lord, 
(not  man),  would  show  the  plates  unto  them: 

'•They  shall  know  of  a  surety  that  these  things  are  true,  for  from  heaven 
will  I  [God]  declare  it  unto  them ;  I  [God]  will  give  them  power  that  they 
may  behold  and  view  these  things  as  they  are;  and  to  none  else  will  I  grant 
this  power  to  receive  this  same  testimony,  among  this  generation." — D,  &  C. 
4:  3. 

Nothing  is  here  said  or  intimated  that  no  others  were  to  see  the 
plates,  but  only  that  no  others  were  to  .see,  and  hear,  and  k)ww,  of 
them  iti  the  *<urie  manner.  The  testimony  of  the  Book  of  Mormon 
relative  to  this  is  as  follows: 

"And  behold,  ye  [Joseph]  may  be  privileged  that  ye  may  show  the  plates 
unto  those  who  shall  assist  to  bring  forth  this  work :  and  unto  three  shall 
they  be  shown  by  the  power  of  God:  wherefore  they  shall  know  of  a  surety  that 
these  things  are  true." — Ether  2:1. 

By  this  we  learn  that  Joseph  was  privileged  to  show  the  plates 
unto  those  who  should  assist  to  bring  forth  the  Book  of  Mormon; 
(and  he  showed  them  unto  at  least  eight  witnesses  mentioned  in  the 
fly-leaf  to  the  Book  of  Mormon);  and  then  that  "unto  three  shall 
they  be  shown  by  the  power  of  God"  Again: 

"Wherefore,  at  that  day  when  the  book  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  man 
of  whom  I  have  spoken,  the  book  shall  be  hid  from  the  eyes  of  the  world, 
that  the  eyes  of  none  shall  behold  it,  save  it  be  that  three  witnesses  shall  behold 
it  by  the  power  of  God,  besides  him  to  whom  the  Book  shall  be  delivered,  and 
they  shall  testify  to  the  truth  of  the  book  and  the  things  therein.  And 


PLATES,   BREAST-PLATE.  71 

there  is  none  other  which  shall  view  it,  save  it  be  a  few,  according  to  the  will 
of  God,  to  bear  testimony  of  his  word  unto  the  children  of  men." — 2  Nephi 
11  :  17. 

PLATES,    BREAST-PLATE,    ETC. 

Mr.  Sheldon  further  says: 

"These  three  witnesses  were  not  only  to  see  the  plates,  but  also  other 
things  mentioned  in  a  revelation  to  Joseph  for  the  three.  'Behold,  I  say 
unto  you,  that  ye  must  rely  upon  my  word,  which  if  you  do,  with  full  pur- 
pose of  heart,  you  shall  have  a  view  of  the  plates,  and  also  of  the  breast-plate, 
the  sword  of  Laban,  the  Urim  and  Thummim,  which  was  given  to  the  brother 
of  Jared  upon  the  mount,  when  he  talked  with  the  Lord  face  to  face,  and  the 
miraculous  directors  which  were  given  to  Lehi  while  in  the  wilderness,  on 
the  borders  of  the  Red  Sea ;  and  it  is  by  your  faith  that  you  shall  obtain  a 
view  of  them,  even  by  that  faith  which  was  had  by  the  prophets  of  old. 
And  after  that  you  have  obtained  faith,  and  have  seen  them  with  your  eyes, 
you  shall  testify  of  them.'  But  they  never  testified  of  them;  hence  the 
revelation  is  unreliable." 

How  does  he  know  that  they  never  testified  to  seeing  them?. 
Hundreds  of  people  are  now  living  who  will  bear  witness  that  they 
did  testify  that  they  saw  them.  And  besides,  if  they  had  never 
seen  them,  it  would  not  prove  that  "the  revelation  is  unreliable," 
unless  it  could  be  shown  that  they,  on  their  part,  complied  with 
the  conditions  of  the  promise.  Mr.  Sheldon  says  impliedly,  that 
they  were  to  testify  to  seeing  them  by  a  written  statement.  This 
he  is  not  warranted  in  doing.  It  is  neither  expressed  nor  implied, 
that  they  were  to  give  a  written  statement  of  seeing  the  breast-plate, 
Urim  and  Thummim,  etc. 

o.  COWDERY'S  TESTIMONY. 

As  to  seeing  the  "Urim  and  Thummim,"  O.  Cowdery,  in  a  letter 
to  W.  W.  Phelps,  September  7th,  1834,  writes: 

"Near  the  time  of  the  setting  of  the  sun,  Sabbath  evening,  April  5th,  1829, 
my  natural  eyes,  for  the  first  time  beheld  this  brother,  [Joseph  Smith].  He 
then  resided  in  Harmony,  Susquehannah  county,  Pennsylvania.  On  Mon- 
day, the  6th,  I  assisted  him  in  arranging  some  business  of  a  temporal  nature, 
and  on  Tuesday,  the  7th,  commenced  to  write  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

"These  were  days  never  to  be  forgotten — to  sit  under  the  sound  of  a  voice 
dictated  by  the  inspiration  of  heaven,  awakened  the  utmost  gratitude  of  this 
bosom !  Day  after  day  I  continued,  uninterrupted,  to  write  from  his  mouth, 
as  he  translated  with  the  Urim  and  Thummim,  or,  as  the  Nephites  would 
have  said,  'Interpreters,'  the  history  or  record,  called  'the  Bo  >k  of  Mormon.'" 
— Messenger  and  Advocate,  Vol.  1,  No.  1 ;  also  Latter  Day  Saints'  Herald,  Vol. 
2,  No.  3. 

David  Whitmer,  who  lived  at  Richmond,  Missouri,  one  of  "the 
three  witnesses,"  in  1875,  said  to  a  reporter  of  the  Chicago  Times, 
that  he  had  free  access  to  the  room  where  the  translation  was  going 


72  URIM  AND  THUMMIM. 

on,  at  the  time  Joseph  and  Oliver  were  at  his  father's  house,  (for 
they  went  there  from  Harmony), 

"  And  [I]  was  an  eye-witness  to  the  method  of  procedure.  The  plates 
were  not  before  Joseph  while  he  translated.  *  *  *  The  method  pursued  was 
common-place,  but  nevertheless  effective.  Having  placed  the  Urini  and 
Thummim  in  his  hat,  Joseph  placed  the  hat  over  his  face,  and  with  prophetic 
eyes  read  the  invisible  symbols,  syllable  by  syllable  and  word  by  word, 
while  Cowdery  or  Harris  acted  as  recorders.  *  *  *  So  illiterate  was  Joseph 
at  that  time,  that  he  didn't  even  know  that  Jerusalem  was  a  walled  city,  and 
he  was  utterly  unable  to  pronounce  many  of  the  names  which  the  magic 
power  of  the  Urim  and  Thummim  revealed,  and  therefore  spelled  them  out 
in  syllables,  and  the  more  erudite  scribe  put  them  together.  The  stone  was 
the  same  used  by  the  Jaredites  at  [from  ?]  Babel.  I  have  frequently  placed 
it  to  my  eyes,  but  could  see  nothing  through  it.  I  have  seen  Joseph,  how- 
ever, place  it  to  his  eyes  and  instantly  read  signs  one  hundred  and  sixty 
miles  distant,  and  tell  exactly  what  was  transpiring  there.  When  I  went  to 
Harmony  after  him,  he  told  me  the  name  of  every  hotel  at  which  I  had 
stopped  on  the  road,  read  the  signs,  and  described  various  scenes  without 
having  ever  received  any  information  from  me." 

Of  "the  stone,"  or  "interpreters,"  Mr.  Whitmer  is  represented  as 
saying: 

"  But  a  stone  had  been  found  with  the  plates,  shaped  like  a  pair  of  ordinary 
spectacles,  though  much  larger,  and  at  least  half  an  inch  in  thickness,  and 
perfectly  opaque,  save  to  the  prophetic  vision  of  Joseph  Smith.  On  the 
tablets  or  plates  were  engraven  the  records  of  the  tribe  of  Nephites,  and 
the  stone  was  the  Urim  and  Thummim,  by  which  the  seers  of  old  had  de- 
ciphered the  mysteries  of  the  universe." — Chicago  Times,  Aug.  7,  1875. 

Here  are  definite  testimonies,  by  O.  Cowdery  and  D.  Whitmer, 
that  they  not  only  saw  the  plates,  but  also  the  Urim  and  Thummim. 
If  they  and  Martin  Harris  omitted  mentioning  in  writing  that  they 
saw  the  breast-plate,  sword  of  Laban  and  directors,  that  would  be 
no  evidence  at  all  that  they  had  not  seen  them.  They  frequently 
testified,  orally,  to  the  fact  that  they  saw  also  the  breast-plate, 
sword  of  Laban,  and  the  directors,  and  O.  Cowdery  and  D.  Whit- 
mer have  testified  freely  and  pointedly,  in  writing,  as  we  see,  that 
they  saw  the  Urim  and  Thummim  or  "stone  interpreters." 

MAY    HAVE    BEEN    COLORED    TIN! 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"  Perhaps  they  saw  some  plates  which  might  have  been  tin,  colored  in  some 
dye  that  would  give  them  a  golden  complexion,  to  those  not  familiar  with 
that  metal ;  they  might  have  heard  a  ventriloquist  affirm  they  were  trans- 
lated by  divine  power,  or  they  might  merely  have  heard  the  voice  of  God 
through  Joseph;  they  testify  that  an  angel  came  down  from  heaven  and 
brought  the  plates,  perhaps  on  the  strength  of  Joseph's  statement,  for  they  do 
not  affirm  that  they  saw  the  angel;  but  whether  they  saw  the  plates  thus  pre- 
pared or  some  other  kind,  they  failed  to  see  the  rest  of  the  furniture  promised." 


THE  THREE  WITNESSES.  73 

This  is  a  queer,  false  and  feeble  way  of  dodging  the  force  of 
conclusive  testimony. 

The  latter  clause  is  a  groundless  assumption,  for  by  what  we 
have  already  seen  we  know  it  is  false;  and  by  the  testimony  of  many 
witnesses  now  living  we  know  Mr.  Sheldon's  conjectures  also  to 
be  wholly  false,  for  the  witnesses  testified  of  seeing  "the  furniture 
promised,"  as  Mr.  Sheldon  is  pleased  to  call  them.  As  for  their 
seeing  "plates  which  might  have  been  tin,  colored  in  some  dye  that 
would  give  them  a  golden  complexion;"  and  that  "they  might  have 
heard  a  ventriloquist  affirm  they  were  translated  by  divine  power;" 
and  that  "they  might  merely  have  heard  the  voice  of  God  through 
Joseph;"  and,  further,  the  probability  that  "they  testify  on  the 
strength  of  Joseph's  statement  that  an  angel  came  down  from 
heaven  and  brought  the  plates;"  and,  lastly,  that  "they  do  not 
affirm  that  they  saw  the  angel"  is  so  weak,  so  preposterous  and 
puerile,  and  so  false  to  the  written  record,  that  we  should  not  con- 
sider a  reply  called  for  did  not  the  article  in  which  it  appears  fill 
a  large  space  in  the  leading  organ  of  the  society  of  which  Mr. 
Sheldon  is  a  prominent  minister  and  champion. 

COWDERY,    WHITMER    AND    HARRIS    CAPABLE    WITNESSES. 

Mr.  Martin  Harris  was  aged  near  forty-five  years  at  the  time  of 
the  translation,  was  a  well-to-do  farmer,  a  sensible,  intelligent  man 
and  an  honored  member  of  society.  Oliver  Cowdery  was  a  school 
teacher  before  he  began  to  write  the  translation  of  the  plates,  and 
was  a  highly  intellectual  man,  a  good  citizen,  and  possessed  a  fair 
education.  After  breaking  off  his  active  connection  with  the 
Church  he  practiced  law  at  Elkhorn,  Wisconsin,  after  which  he 
went  to  Missouri,  where  he  died,  in  Richmond,  March  3d,  1850. 
We  have  been  informed  by  credible  witnesses  then  present,  that  in 
1846,  or  1847,  he  attended  a  conference  at  Carterville,  a  hamlet, 
near  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  and  was  there  re-baptized  and  re-ordained 
to  the  office  of  an  elder,  and  that  then  and  there,  from  the  public 
stand,  he  bore  testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  and 
the  prophetic  mission  of  Joseph  Smith.  After  this  he  returned  to 
Missouri  where  he  died,  bearing  his  former  testimony  on  his  death- 
Ibed  and  in  his  last  moments.  He  recognized  the  fact,  seemingly, 
of  the  priesthood  being,  in  part,  with  that  people  who  were  follow- 
ing under  the  leadership  of  Brigham  and  a  portion  of  the  Twelve, 
though  he  did  not  endorse,  but  rejected  that  leadership;  and  he 
also  felt  the  necessity  of  doing  his  "first  works"  over  again  before 
passing  into  the  presence  of  that  God  whose  voice  he  had 
heard,  whose  angels  he  had  seen  and  heard,  whose  Spirit 


74  D.  WHITMER'S  TESTIMONY. 

he  had  enjoyed,  and  in  whose  work  he  had  been  for  many 
years  actively  and  prominently  engaged.  While  in  the  practice 
of  law  at  Elkhorn  many  of  the  Saints  questioned  him  in  regard 
to  his  former  testimonies  in  respect  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  Jo- 
seph the  seer,  and  the  Church,  and  he  constantly  affirmed  those 
testimonies  to  be  true.  Of  this  we  have  been  told  by  Brn.  Wm. 
Aldrich,  John  C.  Gaylord,  James  M.  Adams  and  others.  As  for 
David  Whitmer,  his  reputation  for  intelligence  and  probity,  as  a 
man  among  men,  was  most  excellent.  Of  him  the  reporter  of  the 
Chicago  Times  for  August  7th,  1875,  who  interviewed  him,  says: 

"He  is  now  seventy  years  of  age,  but  as  hale  and  hearty  as  most  men  of 
fifty.  In  person  he  is  above  the  medium  hight,  stoutly  built  though  not 
corpulent,  his  shoulders  inclining  to  stoop  as  if  irom  so  long  supporting  his 
massive  head  rather  than  from  the  weight  of  years;  his  frank,  manly,  and 
benevolent  face  closely  shaven,  and  his  whole  exterior  betokening  him  to  be 
one  of  nature's  gentlemen.  The  rudiments  of  education  he  learned  in  school, 
and  a  life-time  of  thought  and  research  have  served  to  expand  and  store  his 
mind  with  a  vast  fund  of  information.  The  Tim**  reporter  found  him  at  his 
pleasant,  two-story,  white  frame  residence,  near  the  center  of  the  town  of 
Richmond,  Missouri,  and  in  company  with  Hon.  J.  T.  Child,  editor  of  the 
Conservator,  was  admitted,  introduced  and  received  a  cordial  greeting.  When 
the  object  of  the  call  was  nuidc;  known,  Mr.  Whitmer  smilingly  and  medita- 
tively remarked  that  it  wa-  t  rue  he  had  in  his  possession  the  original  records, 
[manuscripts?],  and  was  conversant  with  the  history  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
from  the  beginning,  but  was  under  sacred  obligations  to  hold  both  history 
and  records  sacred  until  such  time  as  the  interests  of  truth  and  true  religion 
might  demand  their  aid  to  combat  error.  Presently  he  became  quite  ani- 
mated, arose  to  his  feet  and  with  great  earnestness  and  good  nature  spoke 
for  half  an  hour  on  the  harmony  between  the  Bible  and  the  original  Book  of 
Mormon,  showing:  how  tho  finding  of  the  plates  had  been  predicted,  referring 
to  the  innumerable  evidences  in  the  shape  of  ruins  of  great  cities  existing  on 
this  continent,  of  its  former  occupation  by  a  highly  civilized  race,  reverently 
declaring  his  solemn  conviction  of  the  authenticity  of  the  records  in  his  pos- 
session, and  closed  by  denouncing. the  Latter  Day  Saints  of  Utah  as  an 
abomination  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.  *  *  *  When  the  question  of  polygamy 
was  broached,  and  it  was  asked  if  the  original  Book  of  Mormon  justified  the 
practice,  Mr.  Whitmer  most  emphatically  replied,  No!  it  is  even  much  more 
antagonistic  to  both  polygamy  and  concubinage  than  is  the  Bible.  Joseph 
Smith  never  to  my  knowledge  advocated  it,  though  I  have  lieard  that  he  vir- 
tually sanctioned  it  at  Nauvoo.  However,  as  I  cut  loose  from  him  in  1837, 1 
can't  speak  intelligently  of  what  transpired  thereafter.'  David  Whitmer  be- 
lieves in  the  Bible  as  implicitly  as  anv  devotee  alive ;  and  he  believes  in  the 
Book  of  Mormon  as  much  as  tie  does  in  the  Bible.  The  one  is  but  a  supple- 
ment to  the  other,  according  to  his  idea,  and  neither  would  be  complete  were 
the  other  lacking.  And  no  man  can  look  at  David  Whitmer's  face  for  a  half 
hour,  while  he  charily  and  modestly  speaks  of  what  he  has  seen,  and  then 
boldly  and  earnestly  confesses  the  faith  that  is  in  him,  and  say  that  he  is  a 
bigot  or  an  enthusiast.  While  he  shrinks  from  unnecessary  public  promul- 
gation of  creed,  and  feels  that  the  Brighamites  and  Danites  and  numerous 
other  'ites'  have  disgraced  it,  yet  he  would  not  hesitate,  in  emergency  to 


NEW  JERUSALEM.  75 

stake  his  honor  and  even  his  life  upon  its  reliability.  *  *  *  Neither  does  he 
believe  that  the  Book  of  Mormon,  is  the  only  record  of  the  lost  tribes  hid- 
den in  the  earth,  but,  on  the  contrary,  that  the  caves  hold  other  records  that 
will  not  come  forth  till  all  is  peace,  and  the  lion  shall  eat  straw  with  the 
lamb.  Three  times  has  he  been  at  the  hill  Cumorah  and  seen  the  casket  that 
contained  the  tablets  and  the  seer-stone." 

The  foregoing  description  given  of  Mr.  Whitmer  is  probably 
correct,  as  also  the  statement  of  his  testimony,  in  the  main,  as  to 
what  he  knew  touching  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

Now  we  ask,  Is  it  at  all  probable,  nay  is  it  possible,  for  these 
three  intelligent  men  to  have  been  deceived  in  regard  to  the  quality 
of  the  plates,  or  the  fact  of  seeing  the  angel  come  "down  from 
heaven"  bringing  the  plates  and  laying  them  before  their  eyes,  so 
that  they  "saw  the  plates  and  the  engravings  thereon;"  and  the 
further  fact  that  they  were  shown  unto  them  "by  the  power  of 
God  and  not  of  man;"  also  that  "the  voice  of  the  Lord  commanded" 
them  that  they  should  bear  record  of  it,  and,  finally,  that  "the 
voice  of  the  Lord"  declared  to  them  that  the  plates  had  "been 
translated  by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,"  all  of  which  is  set  forth 
so  plainly  in  their  joint  testimony  in  the  prefatory  pages  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon?  Is  it  possible,  we  again  inquire,  for  these  men 
to  have  been  deceived  in  all  or  any  of  these  things?  We  think  all 
right-minded  people  will  say,  No;  they  saw  and  heard  what  they 
testify  of,  or  they  were  vile  deceivers.  The  dye-colored-tin-plate- 
ventriloquist-second-hand-testimony-"through-Joseph-Smith"  theo- 
ry is  as  foolish  as  it  is  false,  and  is  useful  only  as  showing  to  what 
absurd  extremes  some  tricky  men  will  go  in  order  to  shield  them- 
selves and  their  theories  from  the  force  of  true,  direct,  and  unim- 
peachable testimony.  These  men  saw  and  heard,  and  knew,  when 
in  the  full  vigor  of  life,  when  free  from  excitement,  and  when  all 
the  conditions  forbade  deception,  and  they  in  cool  and  sober  mo- 
ments testify,  and  testify  the  same  things  all  their  lives,  and  dying 
go  down  to  their  graves  with  their  woids  of  testimony  on  their 
lips,  boldly,  yet  meekly  and  joyfully  affirming  the  truth  of  their 
former  testimony!  They  were  not  deceived! 

THE    NEW    JERUSALEM. 

Passing  over  one  or  two  unimportant  points  and  the  trifling, 
quibbling  remarks  of  Mr.  Sheldon  concerning  them,  we  next  notice 
his  effort  to  prove  Joseph  Smitrl  a  false  prophet  because  the  New 
Jerusalem  has  not  yet  been  built.  Lie  says: 

"Over  forty-two  years  ago  Joseph  Smith  prophesied  that  the  New  Jerusa- 
lem should  be  built  in  Western  Missouri,  and  that  the  temple  should  be 
reared  in  this  generation :  'Verily,  this  is  the  word  of  the  Lord,  that  the  city 


76  GATHERING. 

New  Jerusalem  shall  be  built  by  the  gathering  of  the  Saints,  beginning  at 
this  place,  even  the  place  of  the  temple,  which  temple  shall  be  reared  in  this 
generation  ;  for  verily  this  generation  shall  not  all  pass  away,  until  an  house 
shall  be  built  unto  the  Lord,  and  a  cloud  shall  rest  upon  it,  which  cloud  shall 
be  even  the  glory  of  the  Lord,  which  shall  fill  the  house.'— D.  C.  83 :  2.  This 
revelation  was  given  in  September,  1832,  over  forty-two  years  ago,  and  yet 
there  is  no  sign  of  a  temple  in  Western  Missouri ;  and  not  a  trace  can  be 
found  of  the  New  Jerusalem  there;  so  the  prophecy  limiting  the  building  of 
the  temple  to  'this  generation'  is  a  failure." 

Not  exactly,  Mr.  Sheldon.  The  conclusion  to  which  you  jump 
with  such  eagerness  is  not  a  sensible  one,  but  does  great  injustice 
to  the  text.  The  text  says  "this  generation  shall  not  all  pass  away, 
until  an  house  shall  be  built,"  etc.  This  implies  that  the  most  or 
greater  part  of  it  would  pass  away;  i.  e.,  that  the  house  would  not 
be  built  until  the  closing  times  of  this  generation.  The  word  "gen- 
eration," as  here  used,  plainly  signifies  the  life  or  age  of  man,  and 
not  the  average  age  of  man,  as  is  urged  by  Mr.  Sheldon.  The  Lord 
said  to  Abraham  concerning  the  deliverance  of  his  posterity  from 
Egypt:  "In  the  fourth  generation  they  shall  come  hither  again."- 
Gen.  15:  16.  If  Mr.  Sheldon  had  lived  in  the  times  of  Ab- 
raham and  reasoned  as  he  now  does,  he  doubtless  would  have  said 
that  the  above  revelation  to  Abraham  was  false  because  Israel  did 
not  "come  hither  again"  in  just  four  of  his  generations  of  thirty 
years  each — or  one  hundred  and  twenty  years.  The  "fourth  gen- 
eration" from  the  time  of  the  promise  measured,  as  we  see,  four 
generations  of  almost  one  hundred  and  eight  years  each'. 

"Now  the  sojourning  of  the  children  of  Israel,  who  dwelt  in  Egypt,  was 
four  hundred  and  thirty  years." — Ex.  12:  40. 

That  the  gathering  of  the  Saints  to  the  center  stake,  (Independ- 
ence, Missouri),  and  the  building  of  the  temple,  was  to  take  place 
after  many  years  from  the  giving  of  the  revelation  in  question,  is 
apparent  from  another  revelation,  one  given  thirteen  months  before 
the  former  one,  for  it  reads: 

"Ye  can  not  behold  with  your  natural  eyes,  for  the  present  time,  the  de- 
sign of  your  God  concerning  those  things  which  shall  come  hereafter,  and 
the  glory  which  shall  follow,  after  much  tribulation.  For  after  much  tribula- 
tion cometh  the  blessing.  Wherefore  the  day  cometh  that  ye  shall  be 
crowned  with  much  glory."— D.  C.  58 : 2.  ,  ^ 

The  Church  has  been  passing  through  "much  tribulation"  ever 
since  the  times  in  which  the  foregoing  was  given,  but  especially 
since  November,  1833,  when  most  violent  persecutions  began  to 
come  upon  it.  Men  were  whipped,  tarred  and  feathered,  im- 
prisoned, brutally  beaten,  and  many  were  killed  at  different  peri- 
ods from  1833  to  1846,  whilst  women  and  children  suffered  for 


A  GENERATION.  77 

food  and  shelter  and  from  all  manner  of  indignities  and  even  death 
and  worse  than  death.  Then  there  came  the  great  latter-day  "de- 
parting from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to  seducing  spirits  and  doc- 
trines of  devils,  teaching  lies  in  hypocrisy,  having  their  conscience 
seared  with  a  hot  iron;  forbidding  to  marry,"  [according  to  the 
laws  and  rules  provided  in  the  Nauvoo  edition  of  the  Doctrine  and 
Covenants  and  the  laws  of  the  land,  but  commanding  instead  to 
'seal'  under  the  polygamic  order],  and  "commanding  to  abstain  from 
meats,"  (which  was  fulfilled  by  the  apostasy  under  C.  B.  Thomp- 
son and  the  Bannemyites,  Ed) ;  and  this  has  caused  untold  and  im- 
measurable "tribulation"  and  the  end  is  not  yet.  It  was  not  until 
after  this  that  the  Saints  were  to  be  "crowned  with  much  glory,"  a 
condition  of  things  that  can  be  fully  realized  only  in  the  final  res- 
toration and  gathering  of  the  Saints,  and  the  building  up  of  Zion 
and  the  temple  of  the  Lord.  From  all  this  we  learn  that  the  speedy 
building  up  of  "the  center  stake"  and  "the  temple"  was  not  con- 
templated in  the  revelations  of  Joseph;  and  yet  "this  generation 
shall  not  all  pass  away  until  a  house  shall  be  built  unto  the  Lord." 

A    MATHEMATICIAN. 

We  can  not  close  on  this  point  until  we  give  the  reader  a  speci- 
men both  of  the  profound  skill  of  Mr.  Sheldon  as  an  arithmeti- 
cian (?)  and  of  his  remarkable  zeal  in  pointing  out  the  errors  (?) 
of  his  fellow  men.  In  his  anxiety  to  make  out  his  case  he  under- 
takes, in  a  very  elaborate  manner,  to  enlighten  us  with  respect  to 
"the  length  of  a  generation  in  Mormon  literature,"  and  he  says  "it 
is  easily  learned."  His  first  term  in  the  proposition  is: 

"His  [Moroni's]  word  shall  hiss  forth  from  generation  to  generation." 
That  is,  after  the  Book  of  Mormon  came  forth.     His  next  is: 

"  Joseph,  my  son,  if  thou  livest  till  them  art  eighty-five  years  old,  thovt- 
shalt  see  the  face  of  the  Son  of  Man." 

And  now  comes  his  statement: 

"  As  Joseph  was  born  in  1805,  his  eighty-fifth  year  would  be  in  1890,  when> 
Christ's  coming  is  due  according  to  this  revelation." 

But  Joseph  does  not  here  say  nor  intimate  that  this  related  to 
Christ's  public  and  glorious  advent. 
Mr.  Sheldon  then  argues  thus: 

"So  if  the  generations,  during  which  the  words  of  God  written  by  Moroni 
were  to  'hiss  forth/  began  with  the  publication  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  in 
1830,  and  end  at  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man  in  1890,  there  are  only  sixty 
years  given  for  two  generations,  and  only  thirty  years  for  one  generation  ;. 


78  BOOK  OF  LEHI. 

and  taking  this  measurement  for  a  generation,  that  temple  should  have  been 
built  over  twelve  years  ago." 

And  then  he  says: 

"  The  truth  is,  the  prophecy  is  a  failure." 

There  are  too  many  ifs  in  this  proposition  to  make  it  even  in- 
teresting, to  say  nothing  about  its  inaccuracies.  Archimedes  said 
if  he  possessed  the  needed  fulcrum,  he  could  raise  the  earth.  In 
the  first  place,  it  is  not  strictly  authentic  with  the  Reorganized 
Church  that  Joseph  had  a  revelation  locating  the  time  of  the  com- 
ing of  the  Son  of  Man.  We  do  not  admit  the  one  quoted  in  evi- 
dence, as  it  came  from  the  Brighamite  publications.  It  may  or 
may  not  be  genuine.  And  if  true,  it  does  not  necessarily  relate  to 
the  second  and  glorious  advent,  but  to  Joseph's  seeing  the  Son  of 
Man  personally  in  vision,  as  did  Paul  and  Stephen,  or  in  death  as 
did  they  and  others. 

In  the  next  place,  the  Book  of  Mormon  may  "hiss  forth"  to  many 
generations  after  Christ  conies,  and  no  doubt  will;  so  we  are  not 
necessarily  compelled  to  locate  the  "two  generations"  claimed  by 
Mr.  Sheldon  on  this  side  of  his  coming.  And,  finally,  Mr.  Sheldon 
errs  eggregiously  in  interpreting  the  promise,  "His  words  shall 
hiss  forth  from  generation  to  generation."  If  his  words  "hiss 
forth"  to  parents,  and  then  to  their  children,  it  fulfills  the  promise, 
for  they  constitute  two  generations.  And  if  it  goes  to  parents, 
children,  grandchildren,  and  great  grandchildren,  then  they  "hiss 
forth  from  generation  to  generation"  on  a  more  extended  scale. 

"I  the  Lord  thy  God  am  a  jealous  God,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the  fathers 
upon  the  children  unto  tlie  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate  me." 
Ex.  20 :  5. 

In  this  passage  the  word  generation  is  used  to  convey  the  same 
idea,  or  meaning,  as  that  from  Moroni.  It  relates  to  successive 
generations  of  posterity,  and  has  no  direct  reference  to  mere  periods 
of  time.  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his  fellows  seem  very  partial  to  all  ques- 
tion of  time  and  mathematical  calculation;  but  their  past  history 
admonishes  us  that  they  are  not  always,  if  ever  accurate,  and  there- 
fore need  close  watching.  There  are  too  many  ifs  and  huts  in 
their  methods  for  profit,  they  having  been  deceived,  and  deceiving 
others,  with  regard  to  their  repeated  set  times  for  the  second  ad- 
vent of  Christ. 

BOOK    OF    LEHI. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  finds  fault   because  the  book  of  Lehi  was  not 
published.     He  quotes: 
"  The  Lord  God  hath  said,  that  the  words  of  the  faithful  should  speak  as 


BOOK  OF  LEHI.  79 

it  were  from  the  dead.  Wherefore,  the  Lord  God  will  proceed  to  bring  forth 
the  words  of  the  book  ;  and  in  the  mouth  of  as  many  witnesses  as  seemeth 
him  good,  will  he  establish  his  word." — 2  Nephi  11 :  17. 

"But  a  part  of  the  words,  (118  pages),  called  the  book  of  Lehi,"  [says  Mr. 
Sheldon],  "were  never  published,  the  manuscript  having  been  stolen,  as  we 
learn  from  the  ninth  section  of  the  Book  of  Covenants." 

Yes,  they  were  stolen;  we  learn  this  from  the  section  cited  and 
also  from  the  lips  of  the  late  Martin  Harris,  Sen.  He  told  the 
writer,  in  1860,  all  about  the  leading  circumstances  connected  with 
the  theft.  Mr.  Harris,  by  much  persuasion,  obtained  them  from 
Joseph  in  order  to  read  them  to  his  wife  and  to  some  very  pious(?) 
friends  who  were  at  the  time  visiting  at  his  house,  whom  he  hoped 
to  benefit  by  showing  them  the  manuscript.  Before  retiring  for 
the  night  he  took  the  manuscript  and  put  it  in  a  bureau  drawer 
and  locked  the  drawer;  he  then  locked  the  parlor  in  which 
the  bureau  was,  putting  both  keys  in  his  pocket.  This  was  the 
last  he  ever  saw  of  the  manuscript.  But  this  did  not  prevent  "the 
words  of  the  faithful"  Lehi  from  going  forth  in  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon. Let  us  see: 

"And  now,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  an  account  of  those  things  that  you 
have  written,  which  have  gone  out  of  your  hands,  are  engraven  upon  "the 
plates  of  Nephi.  Yea,  and  you  remember,  it  was  said  in  those  writings,  that 
a  more  particular  account  was  given  of  these  things  upon  the  plates  of  Ne- 
phi."—D.  C.  9 :  8. 

From  "the  plates  of  Nephi"  then,  we  get  not  only  what  was  in 
the  book  of  Lehi,  but  "a  more  particular  account."  Nephi's  plates 
contained  in  part,  "an  abridgement  of  the  record"  of  his  father, 
Lehi. — 1  Nephi  1:  7.  Messrs.  Cowdery,  Harris,  D.  Whitmer,  and 
probably  others,  were  most  likely  knowing  to  the  fact,  from  obser- 
vation, that  the  writings  from  "the  plates  of  Nephi"  contained  "a 
more  particular  account"  of  those  matters  found  in  the  book  of 
Lehi;  so  there  was  no  possible  room  for  deception  on  that 
score.  Mr.  Sheldon  inquires,  "Is  it  not  strange  that  inspiration 
could  not  have  foreseen  all  this?"  (that  is  the  theft  of  the  manu- 
script.) And  we  may  with  equal  propriety  inquire,  Was  it  not 
strange  that  inspiration  could  not  have  foreseen  "the  loss  of  the 
book  entitled  the  Common  Salvation?"  (Jude  3);  and  of  the  many 
gospels?  (Luke  1:  1);  and  of  the  prophecy  of  Enoch?  (Jude  14); 
"the  book  of  Nathan  the  prophet?"  and  "the  book  of  Gad  the 
Seer?"  (1  Chron.  29:29);  with  twenty-five  or  more  books,  either 
cited  or  quoted  in  the  Bible,  but  now  lost?  And  "is  it  not  strange 
that  inspiration  could  not  have  foreseen"  that  King  Jehoiakim 
would  burn  the  prophetic  roll  of  Jeremiah?  (Jer.  36:23);  or  that 


80  THE  INSPIKED  TRANSLATION. 

the  Philistines  would  capture  "the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  God?" 
1  Samuel  4:  4,  11. 

THE    INSPIRED    TRANSLATION. 

Mr.  Sheldon  affirms: 

"The  inspired  version  betrays  itself  in  first  rejecting  certain  names  given 
in  our  version,  as  being  incorrect,  and  subsequently  adopting  the  same  names 
as  being  correct.  We  present  a  few  samples.  Our  version  of  Matt.  24:  37, 
reads,  'But  as  the  day^  of  Noe  were,'  etc.;  but  Joseph's  inspired  version  re- 
pudiates 'Noe,'  and  substitutes  'Noah.' " 

We  have  before  said  that  much  of  the  "Inspired  Translation" 
was  simply  a  revision  and  correction  of  the  most  essential  parts  of 
the  text,  and  not  a  complete  translation  of  the  entire  Bible.  This 
may  account,  in  a  measure,  for  many  seeming  irregularities  in  both 
the  letter,  and  historical  statements,  of  the  Inspired  Translation. 
We  remark  again,  that  the  evident  object  in  giving  what  is  called 
the  Inspired  Translation,  was  to  relieve  the  Scriptures  of  gross  and 
harmful  errors,  whether  of  doctrine,  morals,  history,  etc.,  and  to 
restore  valuable  portions  that  had  been  taken  away.  Now,  as  for 
the  difference  in  spelling  a  name,  "Noe,"  or  "Noah;"  "Sion,"  or 
"Zion,"  "Jeremy,"  or  "Jeremiah,"  there  is  no  evidence  but  that 
"inspiration"  may  use  both  forms,  as  they  both  signify  precisely 
the  same  thing.  The  spirit  and  substance  of  a  matter  is  of  chief 
importance.  And  this  may  be  clearly  seen  in  the  quotation  of 
Jesus  and  the  apostles  from  the  various  prophets.  They  seldom 
quote  letter  for  letter,  but  mainly  the  substance;  from  which  we 
may  learn  that  "inspiration"  is  concerned  almost  entirely,  if  not 
quite,  about  the  sense  and  meaning,  and  application  of  things,  leav- 
ing the  selection  of  words,  spelling,  etc.,  to  the  choice  of  the  writers. 
Again  Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"The  Inspired  Translation  is  made  to  address  Joseph  thousands  of  years 
before  he  was  born,  in  the  following  two  verses:  'These  are  the  words  which 
I  spake  unto  my  servant  Moses.  And  they  are  true  even  as  I  will.  And  I 
have  spoken  them  unto  you.  See  thou  show  them  unto  no  man,  until  I 
command  you,  except  they  that  believe.'  "—Gen.  3 :  32,  33. 

This  statement  is  utterly  untrue.  All  of  the  words  quoted  from 
"these"  to  "believe"  are  in  parenthesis,  at  the  close  of  a  chapter,  and 
were  given  to  Joseph  to  explain  the  origin  of  the  preceding  reve- 
lation, and  are  words  of  instruction  to  Joseph,  and  are  no  more  a 
part  of  the  text  of  the  Inspired  Translation  than  is  the  publisher's 
imprint  on  the  first  leaf.  If  Mr.  Sheldon  had  put  them  in  paren- 
thesis, as  he  found  them,  he  would  only  have  done  his  bounden 
duty.  To  leave  out  the  parenthesis  in  his  quotation,  is  just  as  vi- 
cious as  to  have  mutilated  the  text  by  leaving  out  or  adding  words. 


AUTHOR  OF  GENESIS.  81 

It  is  a  gross  perversion,  dishonest  and  utterly  beneath  a  fair-dealing 
controversialist.  Mr.  Sheldon  says:  "This  putting  two  verses  into 
the  book  of  Genesis  addressed  to  Joseph  was  certainly  a  wonderful 
blunder  on  his  part."  But  they  were  not  intended  as  a  part,  neither 
are  they  a  part  of  the  narrative  of  the  Book  of  Genesis.  We  find 
in  John  7:  39,  and  Acts  22:  2,  that  John  and  Luke  introduce,  in 
parenthesis,  explanations  touching  the  teachings  of  the  Jews;  and 
Paul,  (Romans  5:  13,  17),  in  a  similar  manner  as  Joseph  in 
the  verses  in  question,  introduces  an  explanation  respecting  the 
revelation  to  Moses.  The  cases  are  exactly  parallel.  And,  by  the 
way,  those  two  verses  are  of  great  value,  as  settling  the  authorship 
of  Genesis,  and  the  perplexing  question  as  to  how  Moses,  if  he 
wrote  the  book,  (which  some  question),  obtained  the  information 
contained  therein,  especially  that  which  relates  to  the  creation,  the 
fall  of  man,  and  other  kindred  matters.  Some  think  that  as  "Mo- 
ses was  learned  in  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,"  and  probably 
had  access  to  the  ancient  documents  in  the  archives  of  the  priest- 
hood, he,  by  the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  was  enabled  to  collate  im- 
portant facts,  and  make  such  extracts  as  were  essential,  and  that  he 
embodied  them  in  what  is  now  the  Book  of  Genesis.  This  is 
probably  true  in  part. 

"Ewald,  the  keenest  of  critics,  and  the  most  learned  of  skeptics,  concern- 
ing the  authorship  of  the  Pentateuch  as  a  whole,  does  not  hesitate  to  ascribe 
to  Moses  the  tables  of  the  law,  and  the  substantial  groundwork  of  the  system 
that  bears  his  name." — Genesis  and  Geology,  by  Prof.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Yet  Professor  Thompson  thinks  that  Genesis  was  made  up, 
largely,  of  oral  traditions  and  written  documents,  and  further  says: 

"The  composer  of  Genesis,  as  we  possess  it,  may  have  worked  up  materi- 
als already  extant  in  the  form  either  of  oral  traditions  or  of  written  docu- 
ments before  him." 

Yet  he  believes  that  those  portions  relating  to  the  creation  were 
in  a  direct  manner  displayed  by  God  to  man.  He  says: 

"  A  probable  conjecture  is,  that  what  here  is  given  in  narrative  passed  be- 
fore the  mind  of  the  original  narrator  in  a  series  of  retrospective  visions ; 
that  it  was  a  panoramic  optical  presentation,  as,  in  a  prophetic  vision,  future 
events  are  made  to  pass  before  the  mind  in  a  scenic  form." 

But  he  does  not  claim  that  Moses  had  this  vision.  Smith,  in  his 
Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  Art.  Pentateuch,  says: 

"  We  can  hardly  escape  the  conviction  that  it  [Genesis]  partakes  of  the 
nature  of  a  compilation.  It  has  indeed  a  unity  of  plan,  a  coherence  of  parts, 
a  shapeliness  and  an  order,  which  satisfy  us  that  as  it  stands  it  is  the  crea- 
tion of  a  single  mind.  But  it  bears  also  manifest  traces  of  having  been  based 
upon  an  earlier  work  ;  and  that  earlier  work  itself  seems  to  have  been  im- 
6 


82  BAPTISM  UNDER  THE  LAW. 

bedded  in  it  fragments  of  still  more  ancient  documents.  *  *  *  The  history- 
contained  in  Genesis  could  not  have  been  narrated  by  Moses  from  personal 
knowledge ;  but  whether  he  was  taught  it  by  immediate  divine  suggestion, 
or  was  directed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  use  of  earlier  documents,  is  imma- 
terial in  reference  to  the  inspiration  of  the  work." 

These  quotations  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  mystery  and  uncer- 
tainty among  learned  men,  as  to  who  wrote  the  book  of  Genesis; 
and  as  to  whether,  if  Moses  wrote  it  at  all,  he  wrote  the  whole  or 
any  part  of  it  by  revelation  direct  from  God.  Now,  the  verses  in 
question  decide  this  important  matter,  when  it  is  said  by  the  Lord, 
"These  are  the  words  which  I  spake  unto  my  servant  Moses." 

BAPTISM    UXDER    THE    LAW. 

Mr.  Sheldon  continues: 

"  In  the  Book  of  Mormon,  baptism  is  enjoined  in  connection  with  the  law 
of  Moses,  and  numerous  instances  are  recorded  where  it  is  said  to  have  been 
administered. 

He  points  to  this  as  proof  that  Joseph  Smith  was  not  inspired  of 
God,  and  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  not  a  divine  record.  This 
mode  of  reasoning  would  condemn  the  four  gospels,  for  each  of 
them  informs  us  of  the  administration  of  baptism  by  John  the 
Baptist,  and  by  Christ  and  his  disciples,  for  some  years  before  the 
abrogation  of  "the  law."  Such  logic  would  impeach  the  divine 
mission  of  Jesus  and  John  the  Baptist.  If  baptism  could  be  ad- 
ministered in  Judea  for  many  years  in  connection  with  the  law,, 
and  by  those  who  were  so  very  exact  in  keeping  the  law  as  was 
John  and  Jesus  and  the  Jewish  disciples,  then  it  might  be  admin- 
istered by  a  branch  of  Israel  in  America,  under  similar  circum- 
stances. It  was  not  "a  reqirement  under  the  law,"  as  Mr.  Sheldon 
claims  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  teaches,  but  it  was  a  requirement 
superior  to  the  l<iw,  as  is  taught  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  as  is 
seen  in  the  case  of  Jesus,  John,  and  their  disciples.  That  baptism 
was  an  ancient  rite  among  many  different  nations  is  now  generally 
conceded,  and  as  we  have  seen  on  pages  48,  49,  50,  of  this  work. 
Smith,  in  his  Diet.  Bible,  Art.  Baptism,  says: 

"  It  is  well  known  that  ablution,  or  bathing,  was  common  in  ancient 
countries  as  a  5  reparation  for  prayers  and  sacrifices,  or  as  expiatory  of  sin. 
*  *  *  There  is  an  universal  agreement  among  later  Jewish  writers  that  all  the 
Israelites  were  brought  into  covenant  with  God  by  circumcision,  baptism, 
and  sacrifice,  and  that  the  same  ceremonies  were  necessary  in  admitting 
proselytes.  These  usages  of  the  Jews  will  account  for  the  readiness  with 
which  all  men  flocked  to  the  baptism  of  John  the  Baptist." 

By  this  we  learn,  what  we  have  hitherto  remarked  on  pages  48, 
50,  that  baptism  was  not  new  and  peculiar  to  the  times  of  John, 


BAPTISM— CHILDREN.  83 

Jesus  and  the  primitive  Christians,  but  was  an  ordinance  dating 
back  to  a  very  early  antiquity. 

BAPTISM    OF    CHILDREN. 

And  now  comes  an  effort  of  Mr.  Sheldon  which  exhibits  most 
clearly  intentional  perversity.  We  regret  it  deeply,  as  it  is  a  most 
unpleasant  thing,  to  think  that  any  person  would  purposely  misre- 
present the  views  and  statements  of  others.  He  says: 

"  The  Book  of  Mormon  clashes  with  Joseph's  revelation  concerning  the 
baptism  of  children.  In  the  eighth  chapter  of  Moroni  we  find  the  following 
remarks  :  "For  I  have  learned  the  truth,  that  there  have  been  disputations 
among  you  concerning  the  baptism  of  your  little  children.  And  now,  my  son, 
I  desire  that  you  should  labor  diligently,  that  this  gross  error  should  be  re- 
moved from  among  you.'  Again  :  'I  know  that  it  is  solemn  mockery  before 
God  that  ye  should  baptize  little  children.'  And  again  :  'He  that  saith  little 
children  need  baptism,  denieth  the  mercies  of  Christ,  and  setteth  at  naught 
the  atonement.'  Yet  on  page  225  of  the  Book  of  Covenants,  Joseph  thus 
speaks  of  John  the  Baptist:  'For  he  was  baptized  while  he  was  yet  in  his 
childhood,  and  was  ordained  by  the  angel  of  God  at  the  time  he  was  eiirht 
days  old.'" 

Mr-  Sheldon  knows  that  "childhood"  has  its  different  stasis,  and 
reaches  up  as  high  as  twelve  or  fifteen  years.  He  furthermore 
knows  that  the  interdictory  texts  from  Moroni  relate  to  "little  chil- 
dren," and  not  to  children  of  advanced  age,  for  the  text  so  reads. 
And  he  also  knows  that  the  text,  "For  he  was  baptized  while  he 
was  yet  in  his  childhood,"  implies  that  he  was  in  the  advanced 
stages  of  his  childhood,  bordering  on  that  period  denominated 
youth.  His  quotation  from  "Apostle  Pratt,"  that  "baptism  always 
precedes  ordination,"  is  not  legitimate  in  his  effort  to  make  the 
Book  of  Mormon  and  the  revelations  of  Joseph  "clash."  That 
quotation  has  nothing  to  do  with  the  texts  which  he  falsely  claims 
are  contradictory,  and  he  is  aware  of  it.  We  don't  accept  Mr. 
Pratt's  views. 

Ishmael  was  a  "child"  when  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  Gen.  21: 
14;  Samuel  was  a  "child"  when  he  was  old  enough  to  minister 
before  the  Lord,  1  Sam.  2:  18;  Jesus  was  a  little  child,  or  "young 
child,"  at  his  birth,  Matt.  2:  11,  18;  and  he  was  still  a  "child" 
when  twelve  years  old,  Luke  2:  40,  42.  It  was  "little  children," 
those  who  were  not  capable  of  believing  intelligently  on  Christ, 
and  of  repenting  of  actual  sins,  that  Mormon  was  writing  about  to 
Moroni,  and  Mr.  Sheldon  knew  that.  As  for  the  early  ordination 
of  John  the  Baptist,  that  of  Jeremiah  was  at  a  still  younger  age: 

"Before  thou  earnest  forth  out  of  the  womb  I  sanctified  thee,  and  I  or- 
dained thee  a  prophet  unto  the  nations." — Jer.  1 :  5. 


84  WORD  "MORMON." 

David,  and  Samuel,  and  others  were  solemnly  set  apart  as  the 
servants  of  God  when  very  young. 

PRINTING    HOUSE. 

He  next  denounces  the  revelations  of  Joseph  as  spurious,  because 
a  commandment  to  build  a  printing  house  at  Kirtland,  Ohio,  for  the 
printing  of  the  Scriptures,  was  not  accomplished;  and  because  the 
Inspired  Translation  was  "published  at  Piano,  Illinois,"  instead  of 
at  Kirtland,  in  the  house  spoken  of.  If  a  failure  on  the  part  of 
men  to  keep  a  commandment  was  proof  that  the  command  was  not 
of  God,  then  farewell  to  the  Bible — both  Old  and  New  Testaments 
—farewell  to  the  inspiration  of  Jesus,  and  Moses  and  all  the  proph- 
ets and  apostles;  for,  from  Adam  and  Eve  in  Eden,  to  John  upon 
Patmos,  commandments  have  been  received  from  God  and  not  kept; 
and  the  fact  is  so  patent  to  all  Bible  readers  that  quotations,  or 
even  citations,  in  proof,  are  not  needed.  The  history  of  the  race  is 
the  history  of  man's  disobedience  to  the  commands  of  God.  If  it 
was  not  manifest  that  our  critic  is  crafty,  we  might  think  him 
(Crazy. 

AVORD    "MORMON." 

He  next  complains  that  Joseph  did  not  "study  and  learn,  and  be- 
come acquainted  with  all  good  book,  and  with  languages,  tongues, 
and  people,"  as  he  was  commanded  to  do,  D.  C.  87:  5.  And  he 
does  not  approve  of  Joseph's  analysis  of  the  word  Mormon,  and  of 
his  statement  that  in  its  root-meaning  it  signifies  more  "good." 
Well,  for  the  manner  in  which  Mr.  Sheldon  handles  the  English, 
his  mother-tongue,  it  would  hardly  be  safe  to  accept  him  as  a  com- 
petent critic,  nor  his  opinions  as  proper  criterions.  Mr.  Smith 
studied  the  English  branches,  especially  grammar,  under  Dr. 
McLellin,  after  the  date  of  this  revelation,  March  1833,  with  re- 
markable success,  as  the  writer  had  it  from  Mr.  McLellin,  in  1873. 
He  afterwards  studied  Hebrew,  making  wonderful  proficiency  un- 
der Messrs.  Peixotto  and  Noah.  He  likewise  studied  other  lan- 
guages with  some  success.  He  also  studied  history,  etc.,  etc.  But 
suppose  he  studied  none  of  the  above,  that  would  not  prove  false 
the  revelation  commanding  him  to  study,  as  any  one  of  common 
sense  may  see.  As  to  whether  Mr.  Smith's  explanation  of  the  word 
Mormon  is  good  or  not,  the  matter  lies  so  far  above  the  reach  of 
Mr.  Sheldon  that  we  may  not  trouble  ourselves  in  regard  to  his 
opinion  about  it  for  at  least  one  millennium. 

APOCRYPHA. 
Again  says  Mr.  Sheldon: 


INSPIRED  TRANSLATION.  85 

"  In  March,  1833,  a  revelation  was  given  to  Joseph,  assigning  reasons  why 
he  need  not  translate  the  Apocrypha,  which  reasons  render  his  translation 
of  the  Bible  equally  needless.  'Verily,  thus  saith  the  Lord  unto  you,  con- 
cerning the  Apocrypha,  there  are  many  things  contained  therein  that  are 
true,  and  it  is  mostly  translated  correctly ;  there  are  many  things  contained 
therein  that  are  not  true,  which  are  interpolations  by  the  hands  of  men. 
Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  that  it  is  not  needful  that  the  Apocrypha  should  be 
translated.  Therefore,  whoso  readeth  it  let  him  understand,  for  the  Spirit 
manifesteth  truth,  and  whoso  is  enlightened  by  the  Spirit  shall  obtain  bene- 
fit therefrom ;  and  whoso  receiveth  not  the  Spirit  can  not  be  benefitted ; 
therefore  it  is  not  needful  that  it  should  be  translated.'— D.  C.  88:  1.  If  the 
possession  of  the  Spirit  will  lead  to  a  discrimination  between  truth  and  error 
in  the  Apocrypha,  so  that  a  translation  is  needless,  the  same  would  be  true 
with  the  Bible,  and  consequently  render  Joseph's  work  in  translating  it 
needless." 

That  the  Spirit  of  God  will  enable  its  possessor  to  judge  between 
good  and  evil,  truth  and  error,  is  just  as  true  as  are  the  words  of 
Jesus  and  the  Apostles. — Heb.  10:  15;  John  14:  26;  16:  13;  and 
1  Cor.  2:  25:  "He  that  is  spiritual  judgeth  all  things;"  also  14:  29. 
But  there  is  this  notable  difference  between  the  Apocrypha  and  the 
Bible:  the  latter  is  "Holy  Scriptures,"  while  the  former  is  not;  and 
not  being  so,  although  it  contained  many  truths  which  might  be 
gleaned  from  among  its  errors  by  the  spiritually  minded,  there  was 
no  need  of  its  translation.  The  revelation  under  consideration 
does  not  even  intimate  that  the  Apocrypha  was  in  any  sense  Holy 
Scriptures,  but  only  that  it  contained  many  truths  and  many  errors, 
and  was  of  no  vital  importance  beyond  what  may  be  found  in  Jo- 
sephus,  Philo,  or  similar  works. 

JOSEPH    VS.    HIS    TRANSLATION (?  ). 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"Joseph  had  no  faith  in  his  own  translation,  unless  he  was  a  dishonest 
man,  for  our  version  of  Heb.  11 :  40,  which  reads,  'That  they  without  us 
should  not  be  made  perfect,'  is  rendered  by  Joseph's  version  thus :  'Without 
suffering  they  should  not  be  made  perfect.'  Yet  nine  years  after  finishing 
this  translation,  Joseph  falls  back  on  to  the  common  version  to  prove  bap- 
tism for  the  dead  in  these  words:  'For  their  salvation  is  necessary  and  essen- 
tial to  our  salvation,  as  Paul  says  concerning  the  fathers,'  'that  they  without 
us  can  not  be  made  perfect ;  neither  can  we  without  our  dead  be  made  per- 
fec.' — D.  C.  110:  15.  If  Joseph  was  an  honest  man,  he  never  would  have 
quoted  spurious  scripture  to  prove  any  doctrine." 

To  this  we  reply,  (1)  that  the  Inspired  Translation  was  not  yet 
published,  and  was  not  in  common  use;  hence  the  propriety  of  not 
quoting  it  in  discussing,  popularly,  any  doctrine.  And,  (2)  Joseph 
quotes  the  passage,  (Heb.  11:  40),  not  because  baptism  for  the 
dead  was  in  fulfillment  of  it,  but  because  the  idea  or  principle  em- 


86  INTERPRETERS. 

braced  in  those  words  fitly  applied  in  illustrating  his  argument. 
Paul,  when  at  Athens  (Acts  17:  28)  quoted  the  Greek  poet  Aratus, 
not  because  the  quotation  was  genuine  Holy  Scripture,  but  because 
the  ideas  embraced  in  it  were  true,  as  Paul  used  it,  and  suitable  to 
the  occasion;  so  with  Joseph,  and  neither  were  dishonest.  And, 
lastly,  the  passage,  though  improperly  translated,  was  not  spurious. 
Coin  issued  at  the  United  States  Mint,  though  it  contain  more  al- 
loy than  is  legal,  yet  it  is  not  spurious.  A  legal  document,  whether 
deed,  bond,  mortgage,  bill  of  sale,  license,  power  of  attorney  or 
whatever  it  may  be,  if  it  be  improperly  worded,  yet  it  is  not,  there- 
fore, spurious.  That  which  is  spurious  is  counterfeit,  illegitimate, 
not  of  genuine  origin,  intentionally  false  or  corrupt. 

INTERPRETERS. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  for  the  want  of  a  better  subject,  takes  another  bout 
at  the  "interpreters."  He  would  like  to  make  the  Book  of  Mormon 
cross  itself  in  its  history  of  their  origin  or  transmission.  But  this 
he  can  riot  do.  He  says: 

"  Joseph  tells  us  that  the  stone-interpreters,  which  lie  claims  to  have  found, 
'were  given  to  the  brother  of  Jared ;'  (D.  C.  15:  1) ;  and  Moroni,  who  claims 
to  have  found  the  same  interpreters,  says  in  the  first  chapter  of  Ether,  'I 
have  sealed  up  the  interpreters,'  that  is  with  the  plates.  So  far  they  agree  ; 
but  upon  examining  the  Book  of  Mormon  we  find  that  Mosiah's  stone- 
interpreters  are  the  ones  handed  down  with  the  records,  and  not  those  given 
to  Jared's  brother." 

We  have  shown,  hitherto,  that  all  the  probabilities  favor  the 
idea  that  the  interpreters  with  which  Mosiah  translated  the  "twenty- 
four  plates  found  by  the  people  of  Limhi,"  were  found  with  the 
plates;  for,  though  the  record  is  simply  silent,  directly,  as  to 
finding  the  interpreters  with  the  plates,  yet  the  stone  interpreters 
are  first  mentioned  <iftvr  fi)Klin</  the  plates,  and  in  immediate  con- 
nection with  the  translation  "by  means  of  those  two  stones  which 
were  fastened  into  the  two  rims  of  a  bow." — Mosiah  12:  3.  The 
silence  of  the  records  as  to  finding  the  interpreters  with  the  plates 
directly,  is  no  evidence  at  all  against  their  having  been  found  with 
them.  The  silence  of  Matthew,  Luke,  and  John  as  to  Jesus  saying, 
"these  signs  shall  follow  them  that  believe,"  is  no  evidence  that  he 
did  not  say  so;  and  the  silence  of  Matthew,  Mark  and  John  is  no 
proof  that  Jesus  did  not  say  to  the  penitent  thief,  "To-day  shalt 
thou  be  with  me  in  paradise."  So  the  silence  of  Mosiah  as  to 
finding  the  "interpreters"  with  the  plates,  is  no  evidence  that  they 
they  were  not  found  with  them.  Joseph  testifies  that  the  angel 


PLATES  OF  BRASS.  87 

told  him  that  with  the  plates  "there  were  two  stones  in  silver 
bows."  (g) 

David  Whitmer,  one  of  the  three  witnesses  to  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, lately  living  at  Richmond,  Missouri,  described  the  "interpret- 
ers" to  a  Chicago  Times  reporter,  in  August  1875,  as  follows: 

"  But  a  stone  had  been  found  with  the  plates  shaped  like  a  pair  of  ordinary 
spectacles,  though  much  larger,  and  at  least  half  an  inch  in  thickness,  and 
perfectly  opaque  save  to  the  prophetic  vision  of  Joseph  Smith." 

O.  Cowdery  testifies  that  Joseph  translated  the  plates  by  means 
of  "the  Urim  and  Thummim,  or,  as  the  Nephites  would  have  said, 
'interpreters.'"  (A).  Now  all  these  testimonies  are  substantially 

the  same,  and  fix  the  identity  of  the  "interpreters,"  or  "two  stones 
which  were  fastened  into  the  two  rims  of  a  bow,"  (Mosiah  12:  3), 
as  being  the  same  as  the  two  stones  (Ether  1:  10,  11)  given  to  the 
brother  of  Jared.  We  have  before  shown  the  possibility  of  Mo- 
siah's  having  obtained  the  stone  intepreters  by  way  of  Coriantumr, 
the  last  Jaredite  king,  or  in  connection  with  other  important  dis- 
coveries (among  them  Jaredite  engravings),  made  by  the  people  of 
Zarahemla  (Omni  1:  10),  many  years  befoie  the  times  of  Mosiah 
2d.  Here  are  two  valid  solutions  of  the  question  as  to  how  Mosiah 
became  possessed  of  the  "two  stones"  —  "interpreters"  —  given  to 
the  brother  of  Jared,  for  he  may  have  obtained  them  in  either  of 
these  ways. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  by  a  technical  criticism,  strives  to  make  the  Book 
of  Mormon  say  that  the  "interpreters"  of  Mosiah  were  handed 
down  from  Jerusalem.  He  says,  "Mosiah  conferred  his  interpret- 
ers upon  Alma,  together  with  the  plates:" 

"  Now  after  Mosiah  had  finished  translating  these  records  *  *  *  he  took 
the  plates  of  brass,  and  all  the  things  he  had  kept,  and  conferred  them  upon 
Alma,  who  was  the  son  of  Alma ;  yea,  all  the  records,  and  also  the  interpret- 
ers, and  conferred  them  upon  him,  and  commanded  him  that  he  should 
keep  and  preserve  them,  and  also  a  record  of  the  people,  handing  them 
down  from  one  generation  to  another,  even  as  they  had  been  handed  down 
from  the  time  Lehi  left  Jerusalem" — Mosiah  13  :  1. 

Now,  the  chief  subject  in  this  passage  is  that  of  "the  records;" 
and  it  is  of  these,  and  not  necessarily  of  the  interpreters,  that  Mo- 
siah speaks  when  he  says,  "as  tliey  had  been  handed  down  from 
the  time  Lehi  left  Jerusalem:" 

"  And  these  records  [thus  handed  down]  did  contain  the  five  books  of 
Moses,  which  gave  an  account  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  also  of  Adam, 
and  Eve,  who  were  our  first  parents;  and  also  a  record  of  the  Jews  from  the 


(g)     Times  and  Seasons;  Millennial  Star;  also  Pearl  of  Great  Price,  41. 
(ft)  Times  and  Seasons,  page  201. 


88  FEET  WASHING. 

beginning,  even  down  to  the  commencement  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  king 
of  Judah;  and  also  the  prophecies  of  the  holy  prophets  from  the  beginning, 
even  down  to  the  commencement  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah ;  and  also  many 
prophecies  which  have  been  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah." — 1  Ne- 
phi  1 :  46. 

To  these  were  added  the  records  of  succeeding  Nephite  prophets, 
and,  finally,  in  the  times  of  Mosiah  2d,  the  "twenty-four  plates" 
found  by  the  people  of  king  Limhi.  It  is  manifestly  the  records 
that  Mosiah  alludes  to  as  having  "been  handed  down  from  the  time 
that  Lehi  left  Jerusalem"  This  is  evidently  the  sense  and  intention 
of  the  passage.  Our  common  version  says: 

"Joseph  also  went  up  from  Galilee,  out  of  the  city  of  Nazareth,  into  Judea, 
unto  the  city  of  David,  which  is  called  Bethlehem,  *  *  *  to  be  taxed  with 
Mary  his  wife,  being  great  with  child." — Luke  2  :  4,  5. 

Yet  none  would  question  but  what  it  was  intended  to  say  that  it 
was  Mary,  and  NOT  Joseph  who  was  "great  with  child."  It  also 
says: 

"But  as  they  [the  disciples]  sailed,  he  [Christ]  fell  asleep;  and  there  came 
down  a  storm  of  wind  on  the  lake,  and  they  were  filled  with  water" — 
Luke  8:  23. 

Though  there  are  verbal  defects  in  these  passages,  the  meaning 
of  them  is  quite  apparent;  and  yet  they  afford  ample  grounds  for 
a  crafty  critic  to  build  up  a  flimsy  argument  upon.  But  no  such 
defects  are  found  in  Mosiah  in  regard  to  the  interpreters  or  rec- 
ords. 

FEET     WASHING. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"Feet  washing  is  pronounced  an  ordinance,  and  restricted  to  the  priest- 
hood, (D.  C.  85:  45,  46).  We  will  not  argue  the  question  as  to  whether  feet 
washing  was  ever  an  ordinance  in  the  church,  or  not ;  but  it  certainly  was 
not  restricted  to  the  ministry  in  its  administration,  if  Paul's  testimony  has 
any  weight:  'If  she  has  washed  the  Saints'  feet.'" 

Oh,  no!  feet  washing  "was  not  restricted  to  the  ministry  in  its 
administration,"  not  by  any  means;  and  it  is  well  that  it  was  not. 
Persons  should  wash  their  own  feet;  and  both  men  and  women 
could  "wash  the  saints'  feet."  But  feet  washing  as  an  "ordinance" 
that  of  which  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants  speaks,  is  a  very  differ- 
ent thing.  Partaking  of  bread  and  wine,  anointing  with  oil,  and 
being  immersed,  are  "not  restricted  to  the  ministry"  in  their  ad- 
ministration, except  when  used  as  ordinances  of  the  Church,  and 
then,  like  feet  washing,  tltey  are.  Feet  washing  was  appointed  to 
bis  ministry  by  the  Savior  (John  13:  4-15.) 

PRIESTHOOD    COVENANT. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 


JOHN,  TARRY.  89 

"  The  breaking  of  the  priesthood  covenant  is  pronounced  an  unpardonable 
sin :  'But  whoso  breaketh  this  covenant,  after  he  hath  received  it,  and  alto- 
gether turneth  therefrom  shall  not  have  forgiveness  of  sins  in  this  world,  nor 
in  the  world  to  come.'  (D.  C.  83 :  6.)  Covenant-breaking  is  poor  business,  if 
the  covenant  is  a  good  one ;  but  Christ  restricts  the  unpardonable  sin  to  one 
thing — blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  After  Peter  had  lied,  and  cursed, 
and  swore,  and  had  thus  broken  his  ministerial  covenant,  he  found  pardon, 
and  subsequently  spent  long  years  in  the  ministry." 

That  Peter  sinned,  and  sinned  grievously,  none  can  deny;  but  to 
say  that  he  utterly  broke  his  priesthood  covenant,  is  to  say  what  is 
evidently  not  true.  If  he  had  broken  that  covenant  and  "altogeth- 
er" turned  "therefrom,"  his  case  would  have  been  vastly  different. 
That  would  have  involved  his  knowingly,  willingly,  and  wilfully 
turning  away  from  God;  which  would  have  embraced,  substantial- 
ly, his  sinning  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  he  who  not  only 
breaks  "this  covenant  after  he  hath  received  it,"  but  also  "alto- 
gether turneth  therefrom,"  "that  shall  not  have  forgiveness  of  sins 
in  this  world  nor  in  the  world  to  come."  Mr.  Sheldon  has  a  pecu- 
liar faculty  of  cutting  a  sentence  in  two,  as  above,  and  then  argu- 
ing against  a  detached  and  incomplete  part. 

ST.    JOHN    TO    TARRY. 

He  next  finds  fault  with  the  revelations  of  Joseph,  because  one 
claims  that  Christ  said  unto  John:  "Thou  shalt  tarry  until  I  come 
in  my  glory,  and  shall  prophesy  before  many  nations,  kindreds, 
tongues,  and  people-" — D.  &  C.  6:  1.  Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"History  affirms  that  John  died  at  Ephesus.  But  if  history  is  false,  as 
John  never  disguised  himself  when  alive,  why  does  he  not  come  out  like  a 
man  and  show  himself,  and  settle  some  of  these  theological  disputes  in  the 
land,  and  also  let  us  know  whether  he  helped  ordain  Joseph?  Why  sneak 
around  in  this  way  ?" 

If  Mr.  Sheldon  had  lived  in  the  days  of  the  first  Christian  disciples 
he  probably  would  have  reasoned  in  a  similar  strain  concerning 
Jesus.  The  Pharisees  of  those  times  said,  "Master  we  would  see  a 
sign  from  thee"  (Matt.  12  :  38);  and  some  said,  "If  he  be  the  king 
of  Israel,  let  him  now  come  down  from  the  cross,  and  we  will  be- 
lieve him"  (Matt.  27  :  42).  And  no  doubt  many  said,  If  Jesus  is 
actually  risen  from,  the  dead,  why  does  he  not  come  out  like  a  man 
and  show  himself,  and  settle  some  of  these  theological  disputes  in 
the  land,  and  also  let  us  know  whether  he  had  raised  up  many  of 
the  bodies  of  the  Saints, — why  skulk  around  in  this  way?  But  the 
heavens  were  not  bound  to  gratify  the  morbid  curiosity  of  the 
sign-seeker  in  those  days,  nor  are  they  now.  Jesus  was  not  shown 
openly  to  the  world  after  his  resurrection,  "but  unto  witnesses 


90  ADAM— MICHAEL. 

chosen  before  of  God"   (Acts   10:  41).     God's  wisdom  anciently 
and  modernly,  is  very  different  from  that  of  man. 

As  to  John's  death,  history  is  conflicting  and  unsatisfactory. 
Smith,  in  his  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,  says: 

"  The  very  time  of  his  death  lies  within  the  region  of  conjecture  rather 
than  of  history,  and  the  dates  that  have  been  assigned  for  it  range  from  A.D. 
89  to  A.D.  120. 

That  the  early  Christians,  with  John,  understood  that  he  was  not 
to  die,  but  remain  till  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  is  apparent 
from  John  21:  29,  23: 

"Jesus  saith  unto  him,  If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come,  what  is  that  to 
thce?  Follow  thou  me.  Then  went  this  saying  abroad  among  the  brethren, 
that  that  disciple  should  not  die ;  yet  Jesus  said  not  unto  him,  He  shall  not 
die;  but,  if  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I  come  what  is  that  to  thee?" 

And,  when  on  Patmos,  about  A.D.  96,  the  Lord  said  to  him, — 
"Thou  must  prophesy  again  before  many  peoples,  and  nations,  and 
tongues,  and  kings." — Rev.  10:  11. 

ADAM MICHAEL AN  ANGEL. 

Mr.  Sheldon  objects  further  to  the  revelations  of  Joseph,  because 
one  in  D.  C.  104:  28,  calls  Adam  "Michael,  the  Prince,  the  Arch- 
angel." He  says: 

"The  Bible  never  represents  saints  as  turning  into  angels  at  any  past  or 

future  time." 

/ 

Well,  the  Bible  does  not  contain  all  the  truths  there  are,  either 
in  heaven,  or  on  earth;  and  yet  the  Bible  does  teach  that  men  be- 
come angels.  In  the  Hebrew,  in  Isaiah  42:  19;  Hag.  1:  13;  Mai. 
3:  1,  what  in  the  common  English  version  is  "messenger,"  is  there 
"angel."  In  Revelations  1:  20;  2:  1,  8,  12,  etc.,  the  elders  in 
charge  of  the  seven  churches  of  Asia,  are  called  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
angels.  And  in  Revelations  19:  10,  the  angel  who  ministers  to 
John  says: 

"  I  am  thy  fellow  servant,  and  of  thy  brethren  that  have  the  testimony  of 
Jesus." 

"  Of"  here  signifies  clearly,  from  among.  He  was,  therefore, 
"from  among"  those,  John's  "brethren,  that  have  the  testimony  of 
Jesus;  *  *  fr  for  the  testimony  of  Jesus  is  the  Spirit  of  prophecy." 
And  the  English  "Authorized  Version,"  printed  in  1610,  reads 
thus:  "I  am  thy  fellow  servant,  and  one  of  thy  brethren."  And 
this  is  the  sense  and  intention  of  all  the  principal  versions.  Again: 
"The  Lord  came  from  Sinai,  and  rose  up  from  Seir  unto  them;  he 
shined  forth  from  Paran,  and  he  came  with  ten  thousand  of  saints; 
from  his  right  hand  went  forth  a  fiery  law,"  (Dent.  33:  2).  Now 


ADAM— MICHAEL.  91 

David  called  these  "saints,"  "angels," — "The  chariots  of  God  are 
twenty  thousand,  even  thousands  of  angels;  the  Lord  is  among 
them  as  in  Sinai  in  the  holy  place,"  (Ps.  68:  17).  This  identifies 
these  "saints,"  as  being  the  "angels"  of  God.  These  may  have 
been  of  that  company  of  Saints  composed  of  Enoch  and  others, 
who  were  translated. 

Bingham,  in  his  Antiquities  of  the  Christian  Churchy.  7 5,  states 
that  the  Bishops  were  called  the  "angels  of  the  churches;  a  name 
which  some  authors  supposed  to  be  used  by  St.  Paul,  1  Corinthians 
11:  10." 

Now,  inasmuch  as  the  ministers  of  God,  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment and  the  New  Testament,  were  called  angels,  why  may  not 
Adam  be  also  called  an  angel?  And  inasmuch  as  the  personage 
who  ministered  to  John,  and  who  was  "of"  John's  brethren,  was 
called  an  angel,  and  was  an  angel,  why  may  not  others  of  John's 
faithful  brethren,  (and  Adam  pre-eminent  among  them),  become 
"angels?"  Jesus  says: 

"  They  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  re- 
surrection from  the  dead,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage;  neither 
can  thev  die  any  more ;  for  thev  are  equal  unto  the  angels." — Luke  20:  35,  36. 

"But  are  as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven."— Matt.  22:  30. 

Being  then  "as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven,"  and  "equal  unto 
the  angels,"  will  Mr.  Sheldon  tell  us  wherein  they  differ  from  them? 
And  inasmuch  as  they  are  changed  into  the  condition,  and  nature, 
of  "the  angels  of  God  in  heaven,"  are  they  not,  substantially, 
angels?  It  is  true  that  man  was  made  "a  little  lower  than  the 
angels,"  (of  heaven),  being  made  liable  to  death,  possessing  less 
power,  and  having  a  more  limited  sphere  than  they,  but  that  is  not 
to  say  that  men  may  not  become  angels,  in  a  limited  sense,  while 
in  this  life,  and  "as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven"  in  a  world  to 
come,  Christ,  before  his  incarnation,  ministered  as  the  "angel  of 
the  Lord," — Gen. '22:  15;  Ex.  3:  2,  6,  14;  Acts  7:  30-35;  Gen. 
48:  15,  16,  with  Heb.  1:  2,  3,  8,  10;  1  Cor.  15:  47.  And  he  is 
now  "a  quickening  Spirit." — 1  Cor.  15:  45. 

Inasmuch  as  resurrected  holy  men  are  made  "equal  unto  the 
angels"  and  "as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven,"  why  not  those  who 
are  translated — Enoch,  Elijah  and  probably  others — why  not  they 
be  "equal  unto,"  and  "as  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven?"  This  view 
is  further  seen  in  the  fact  that  the  Lord  promised  to  send  "Elijah 
the  prophet"  (Mai.  4:  5,  6)  "to  minister  to  them  who  shall  be  heirs 
of  salvation." — Heb.  1:  14.  In  Luke  9:  30,  31,  Moses  and  Elias 
(Elijah)  appeared  in  the  capacity  of  angels,  though  not  in  the  name 
of  angels. 


92  THKEE  GLORIES. 

"There  talked  with  him  [Christ]  two  men,  which  were  Moses  and  Ettas; 
who  appeared  in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease,  which  he  should  accomp- 
lish at  Jerusalem." 

Angels  were  frequently  called  men  (Gen.  18:  2;  Josh.  5:  13,  15; 
Luke  24:  4;  Acts  1:  10;  Heb.  13:  2,  etc.,  etc).  Now,  all  these 
proofs  place  the  matter  beyond  question:  (1)  that  men  in  this  life 
are  sometimes  called  angels;  (2)  that  translated  persons,  and  resur- 
rected persons,  become  "equal  unto,"  and  "as  the  angels  of  God 
in  heaven;"  and  (3),  that  some  of  them  have  ministered  in  that 
capacity. 

THREE    FUTURE    WORLDS. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  opposes  the  idea  that  there  are  "three  future- 
worlds — celestial,  terrestial,  and  telestial"  He  says: 

"Celestial  means  heavenly;  terrestial  means  earthly;  but  what  does  teles- 
tial  mean?" 

Why,  Mr.  Sheldon,  it  means  "the  glory  of  the  stars"  (1  Cor.  15: 
21),  the  last  and  least  "order"  of  glory  in  the  resurrection  (1  Cor. 
15  :  21,  23,  24),  and  is  to  be  possessed  by  those  worthy  of  it  when 
the  Lord  judges  all  men  "according  to  their  works"  (Rev.  20:  13; 
Rom.  2:  6;  Matt.  10:  27;  Rom.  14:  11,  12).  It  means  "distant," 
"final,"  "far  off,"  "end,"  "finish,"  and  is  a  derivation  of  the  Greek 
word  "tele."  It  is  not  "the  Restorationist's  hell,"  as  you  flippant- 
ly assert;  but  it  is  that  condition  of  future  being  and  glory  into 
which  "they  who  are  thrust  down  to  hell  *  *  who  are  not  redeemed 
from  the  devil  until  the  last  resurrection,  until  the  Lord,  even  Christ 
the  Lamb  shall  have  finished  his  work,"  (D.  C.  76:  7),  when  such 
shall  finally,  in  the  end,  be  brought.  "The  wicked  shall  be  turned 
into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  for  (jet  God"  (Ps.  9:  17);  yet 
"death  and  heir  shall  deliver  up  the  dead  which  are  in  them,  and 
they  shall  be  "judged  every  man  according  to  his  works,"  (Rev. 
20  :  13).  Jonah  says:  "Out  of  the  belly  of  hell  [a  place  of  God's 
punishment]  cried  I,  and  thou  heardest  my  voice"  (Jonah  2:  2). 
So  from  these,  and  many  other  bible  testimonies,  we  learn  that,  al- 
though the  wicked  may,  and  do,  go  down  to  hell,  it  is  for  their 
punishment  and  reformation,  and  that  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  God 
that  they  should  eternally  remain  there;  nor  is  it  his  purpose  that 
they  should  become  unconscious  at  death  and  remain  so  till  they 
are  resurrected  and  judged,  and  then  be  annihilated;  for  that  would 
defeat  justice  and  pervert  equity,  and  render  forever  impossible 
the  just  judgment  of  God,  "who  without  respect  to  persons  judgeth 
according  to  every  man's  work"  (I  Pet.  1:  17). 

That  all  the  race  (with  one  class  as  an  exception — they  who  sin 


THREE  GLORIES.  93 

.against  the  Holy  Ghost),  will  be  subdued  unto  God,  and  will  finally 
know  and  confess  Christ,  is   evident  from  the   Scriptures.     Paul 

says: 

"  That  at  the  name  of  Jesus  every  knee  should  bow,  of  things  in  heaven, 
and  things  in  earth,  and  things  under  the  earth ;  and  that  every  tongue 
should  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God  the  Father." — 
Phil.  2:10,  11. 

John  says: 

"And  every  creature  which  is  in  heaven,  and  on  the  earth,  and  under  the 
earth,  and  such  as  are  in  the  sea,  and  all  that  are  in  them,  heard  I  saying, 
Blessing  and  honor,  and  glory  and  power,  be  unto  him  that  sitteth  upon  the 
throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb  forever  and  ever." — Rev.  5:  13. 

This  they  can  not  do  unless  they  first  learn  of  him  and  know  of 
him,  either  in  this  life  or  hereafter. 

There  is  a  wide  difference  in  men's  works,  and  consequently 
there  will  be  a  wide  difference  in  the  degrees  of  their  condemna- 
tion and  rewards,  and  in  their  future  conditions. 

They  of  the  telestial  glory  dwell  outside  the  city  New  Jerusalem, 
and  where  God  and  Christ  are  they  can  not  come: 

"  For  without  [the  city]  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whoremongers,  and 
murderers,  and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie." — Rev. 
22:  15. 

"  And  the  glory  of  the  telestial  is  one,  even  as  the  glory  of  the  stars  is  one, 
for  as  one  star  differs  from  another  star  in  glory,  even  so  differ  one  from  an- 
other in  glory  in  the  telestial  world ;  for  these  are  they  who  are  of  Paul  and 
of  Apollos,  and  of  Cephas ;  these  are  they  who  say  they  are  some  of  one  and 
some  of  another,  some  of  Christ  and  some  of  John,  and  some  of  Moses,  and 
some  of  Elias;  and  some  of  Esaias,  and  some  of  Isaiah,  and  some  of  Enoch, 
but  received  not  the  gospel,  neither  the  testimony  of  Jesus,  neither  the  prophets; 
neither  the  everlasting  covenant:  last  of  all,  these  all  are  they  who  will  not  be 
gathered  with  the  saints,  to  be  caught  up  unto  the  church  of  the  first  born, 
and  received  into  the  cloud  ;  these  are  they  who  are  liars,  and  sorcerers,  and 
adulterers,  and  whoremongers,  and  whosoever  loves  and  makes  a  lie;  these 
are  they  who  suffer  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire;  these  are  they  who  are 
cast  down  to  hell  and  suffer  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God  until  the  fulness  of 
times,  when  Christ  shall  have  subdued  all  enemies  under  his  feet,  and  shall 
have  perfected  his  work,  when  he  shall  deliver  up  the  kingdom  and  present 
it  unto  the  Father  spotless  saying:  I  have  overcome  and  have  trodden  the 
wine-press  of  the  fierceness  of  the  wrath  of  Almighty  God  :  then  shall  he  be 
crowned  with  the  crown  of  his  glory  to  sit  on  the  throne  of  his  power  to 
reign  for  ever  and  ever.  But,  behold,  and  lo,  we  saw  the  glory  and  the  in- 
habitants of  the  telestial  world,  that  they  were  as  innumerable  as  the  stars 
in  the  firmament,  or  as  the  sand  upon  the  sea  shore,  and  heard  the  voice  of 
the  Lord  saying:  These  all  shall  bow  the  knee,  and  every  tongue  shall  con- 
fess to  him  who  sits  upon  the  throne  forever  and  ever;  for  they  shall  be 
judged  according  to  their  works;  and  every  man  shall  receive  according  to 
his  own  works,  and  his  own  dominion,  in  the  mansions  which  are  prepared, 


94  SOUL  OF  MAN. 

and  they  shall  be  servants  of  the  Most  High,  but  where  God  and  Christ 
dwell  they  can  not  come,  worlds  without  end." — D.  C.  76 :  7. 

The  foregoing  is  a  brief  explanation  of  what  the  telestial  glory 
is,  or  means.  In  it  we  see  the  benevolent  provisions  of  an  All- 
wise  God  for  the  future  conditions  of  erring  man  according  to  his 
works. 

The  terrestial  glory  is  greatly  in  advance  of  that  of  the  telestial 
world,  while  the  celestial  is  vastly  superior  to  the  terrestial,  it  being 
the  glory  of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  where  they  who  enjoy  it  are 
made  possessors  of  all  things — those  things  that  "eye  hath  not 
seen,  nor  ear  heard,  nor  hath  entered  into  the  heart  of  man,"  except 
as  revealed  unto  some  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  And  "the  second 
death"  and  eternal  perdition  is  for  those  only  who  become  like  the 
devil  and  his  angels. 

The  teachings  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  verdict  of  all  right-minded 
people  is,  that  all  mankind,  without  respect  of  persons,  should  be 
judged  ficcordiny  to  their  works;  and  this  provisien  of  the  three 
glories,  or  "three  future  worlds,"  as  Mr.  Sheldon  is  pleased  to  call 
them,  meets  all  the  demands  of  the  case,  manifesting  alike  the 
justice,  the  equity,  and  the  unfailing  love  of  God. 

However  popular  it  may  be,  that  doctrine  is  neither  sensible  nor 
Scriptural  that  reckons  all  sinners  alike  in  the  sight  of  God — that 
ranks  the  midnight  assassin,  the  red-handed  murderer,  and  others 
of  the  viler  sort,  with  the  Sabbath-breaker,  the  common  liar,  or  the 
petty  thief,  in  the  same  class,  making  them  all  alike  criminal  and 
equally  condemnable!  All  are  transgressors,  but  not  to  the  same 
degree;  and  therefore  justice,  equity,  and  mercy  demand  that  there 
should  be  a  difference  in  their  judgment  or  condemnation.  Jesus 
teaches  in  plain  terms  that  "it  shall  be  more  tolerable"  for  one 
class  of  sinners  in  the  day  of  judgment  than  for  others,  Matt  11: 
22,  24;  10:  15;  12:  41,  42).  But  this  could  not  be  true  if  all  kinds 
and  classes  of  sinners  went  down  to  hell  at  death  and  remained 
there  worlds  without  end,  as  some  teach;  or  if  the  wicked  were 
unconscious  after  death  till  their  resurrection,  and  were  then  simp- 
ly judged  and  annihilated,  as  others  teach.  God  is  just,  and  his 
tender  mercies  are  over  all  his  works,  to  deal  justly,  equitably  and 
right  by  them. 

THE    SOUL    OF    MAN. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  enters  into  a  profitless  quibble  in  regard  to 
what  is  said  in  the  revelations  about  the  soul  of  man,  where  it  is 
said:  "And  the  spirit  and  the  body  is  the  soul  of  man.  And  the 


DIVINE  KECORDS.  95 

resurrection  from  the  dead  is  the  redemption  of  the  soul,"  (D.  C. 
85:  4). 

"O  God,  receive  my  soul"  (Mosiah  9:5).     Mr.  Sheldon  inquires: 

"Did  he  mean  receive  my  spirit  and  body?" 

To  this  we  reply,  that  the  meaning  of  a  word  is  to  be  deter- 
mined by  the  office  it  performs  in  a  sentence.  This  is  an  essential 
law  of  language.  Consequently  when  I  speak  of  a  door,  I  may 
speak  of  an  aperture  or  passage-way  into  a  room  or  building,  or  of 
that  which  fills  the  aperture  and  shuts  up  the  passage.  When  we 
speak  of  a  gate,  we  mean  the  opening,  the  entrance,  or  we  may 
mean  that  which  closes  up  the  nntrance.  When  we  use  the  word 
cleave,  it  may  signify  adhere,  unite;  or  it  may  mean,  to  part,  sep- 
arate, divide.  The  meaning  of  these  words  and  thousands  of  oth- 
ers, soid  included,  has  various  meanings,  which  can  be  determined 
only  by  the  office  they  perform  in  their  connection  with  other 
words:  , 

The  soid,  in  Gen.  2:  7— "man  became  a  living  soul," — relates  to 
man  as  a  living  being  composed  of  body  and  spirit,  as  also  Eccl. 
12:  7;  James  2:  26;  Lev.  23:  30;  Acts  27:  37;  1  Pet.  3:  20,  etc. 
But  in  Gen.  35:  18, — "as  her  soul  was  in  departing" — and  1  Kings 
17:  21, — "let  this  child's  soul  come  into  him  again;" — and  Prov. 
16:  24, — "Pleasant  words  are  sweet  to  the  soul;" — and  Matt.  10: 
28, — "Fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill 
the  soul;" — and  Acts  14:  22, — "confirming  the  souls  of  the  dis- 
ciple;"— and  Rev.  6:  9, — "I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls  of  them 
that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  aud  for  the  testimony  which 
they  held,"  with  scores  of  other  passages  which  might  be  quoted, 
the  word  soid  clearly  relates,  not  to  the  body,  but  to  the  spirit  of 
man,  the  conscious,  intelligent  part  of  man.  So  then,  the  spirit  of 
man  is  the  soul  as  taught  in  Mosiah,  and  the  spirit  and  body  is  also 
the  soul,  as  taught  in  D.  C.  65:  4;  and  there  is  no  contradiction, 
though  Mr.  Sheldon  would  love  to  make  it  appear  so. 

AUTHORITY    OF    DIVIXE    RECORDS. 

Joseph  Smith  held  that  the  principle  of  authority  involved  in 
Matt.  18:  18,  "Whatsoever  ye  shall  bind  on  earth  shall  be  bound 
in  heaven;  and  whatsoever  ye  shall  loose  on  earth  shall  be  loosed 
in  heaven,"  applies  also  to  keeping  divine  records  as  in  respect  to 
baptism  for  the  dead;  but  Mr.  Sheldon  claims  that  in  so  doing  "he 
repudiates  his  own  translation,"  (which  reads  as  above  quoted), 
because  he  says  in  D.  C.  p.  324,  "Or,  in  other  words,  taking  a  dif- 
ferent view  of  the  translation," — that  is,  as  to  its  application,  but 


96  UKIM  AND  THUMMIM. 

not  as  intimating  that  the  said  translation  was  wrong,  for  he  ac- 
cepted it. 

NON-ENGLISH    WORDS. 

Mr.  Sheldon  complains  that: 

"  In  translating  the  Book  of  Mormon,  words  are  often  used  not  contained 
in  the  English  language.  The  following  is  a  sample :  'a  fifth  part  of  their 
ziff.'— Mosiah7:l." 

These  words  were  transferred,  probably  because  there  were  no 
English  equivalents  for  them.  If  "ziff"  was  some  kind  of  metal, 
as  is  rather  likely,  it  is  not  at  all  strange  that  there  was  not,  at  the 
time  of  the  translation,  an  English  equivalent  for  it.  A  number 
of  new  metals  have  been  discovered  since  then,  and  there  may  yet 
be  many  more  discovered,  and  possibly  the  very  kind  in  question. 

GIFT    TO    TRANSLATE.1] 

Mr.  Sheldon  wishes  to  know: 

"(1)  Was  the  gift  [to  translate]  in  the  stone-interpreters,  or  in  Joseph?  (2) 
If  Joseph  himself  had  the  gift,  what  need  of  the  stones?  (3)  If  the  gift  was 
in  the  stones,  how  could  Joseph  lose  it,  without  losing  the  stones?" 

To  the  first  question  we  reply:  the  gift  was  in  both, — in  the 
stones  as  a  means,  and  in  Joseph  as  an  agent  to  use  the  means.  To 
the  second  we  reply:  Though  Joseph  was  the  agent  to  translate, 
yet  the  stones  were  necessary  as  a  means  by  which  to  work.  In 
reply  to  the  third  we  have  to  say, — that  Joseph  might  have  lost  his 
power  as  a  seer,  and  in  this  sense  lost  his  gift  to  translate;  or  he 
might  have  lost  the  "interpreters,"  which  was  a  means  in  translat- 
ing. An  astronomer  may  lose  the  telescope  by  which  he  traces 
the  pathway  of  the  stars,  or  he  may  lose  his  natural  sight — the 
power  to  use  that  wonderful  instrument. 

URIM    AND    THUMMIM.  G 

Mr.  Sheldon  now  seeks  to  enlighten  us  in  regard  to  the  Urim  and 
Thummim.  He  says: 

"The  Jewish  High  Priest  never  read  languages  by  this  means,  but  wore 
them  upon  his  breast-plate, — they  were  not  used  to  read  through,  but  were 
outward  emblems  of  divine  illumination  upon  the  heart  of  the  wearer." 

But  Smith,  in  his  Diet.  .Bible,  says: 

"In  what  way  the  Urim  and  Thummim  were  consulted  is  quite  uncertain. 
Joseph  us  and  the  rabbins  supposed  that  the  stones  gave  out  the  oracular  an- 
swer by  preternatural  illumination.  But  it  seems  to  be  far  simplest,  and 
most  in  agreement  with  the  different  accounts  of  inquiries  made  by  Urim  and 
Thummim,  (1  Sam.  3:  18,  19;  23:  3,  12;  28:  6;  Judg.  20:  28;  2  Sam  5:  23, 
&c.),  to  suppose  that  the  answer  was  given  simply  by  the  word  of  the  Lord  to 
the  high  priest  (compare  John  11 :  51),  when  he  had  inquired  of  the  Lord, 
clothed  with  the  Ephod  and  breast-plate." 


URIM  AND  THUMMIM.  97 

Who  should  better  understand  than  "Josephus  and  the  rabbins?" 
None,  we  think,  but  those  who  are  favored  with  a  divine  revelation 
on  the  point,  or  with  experimental  knowledge,  as  Joseph  and  the 
first  elders  and  members  of  the  church.  The  opinions  of  "Josepkus 
and  tke  rabbins"  are  in  essential  accord  with  the  statements  of 
Joseph,  O.  Cowdery,  M.  Harris,  D.  Whitmer,  and  others,  and  quite 
adverse  to  the  opinion  volunteered  by  Mr.  Sheldon.  The  Septua- 
gint  Bible  renders  the  signification  of  Urim  and  Thummim  as 
"revelation  and  truth"  Wkiston,  in  a  note,  on  p.  94,  Josephus, 
says  that  the  "shining  stones"  were  used  in  revealing  tke  will  of 
God,  after  &  perfect  and  true  manner  to  his  people  Israel.  Of  these 
stones  Josephus,  Ant.  Jews,  B.  3,  ch.  9,  par.  9,  says,  "Now  this 
breast-plate,  and  sardonyx  left  off  shining  two  hundred  years  be- 
fore I  composed  this  book."  With  the  information  wre  now  have 
before  us,  one  thing  is  certain,  and  that  is  that  the  Urim  and  Thum- 
mim, as  Joseph  claims,  was  a  divine  means  of  revelation  from  God, 
"after  a  perfect  and  true  manner;"  and  that  it  was  through  the 
"preternatural  illumination"  of  the  stories.  That  it  was  a  means 
of  obtaining  revelation  and  instruction  directly  from  God  is  seen 
in  the  fact  that  Joshua  "shall  stand  before  Eleazer  the  priest,  who 
shall  ask  counsel  for  him  after  the  judgment  [decision,  revelation] 
of  Urim  before  the  Lord"  (Num.  27:  21);  and  that,  "When  Saul 
inquired  of  the  Lord,  the  Lord  answered  him  not,  neither  by 
dreams,  nor  by  Urim,  nor  by  prophets"  (1  Sam.  28:  6).  In  all 
these  evidences  we  see  that  it  was  a  means  of  revelation  from  God, 
enabling  those  gifted  with  the  power  to  use  it  to  read  and  learn  in 
regard  to  hidden  matters,  and  know  what  was  otherwise  secret  and 
unrevealed. 

FIRST    GIFT. 

Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  he  has  found  "a  direct  collision"  in  the  fact 
of  Joseph's  having  the  gift  of  prophecy,  in  connection  with  O. 
Cowdery,  May,  1829,  when  they  baptized  each  other,  whereas  a 
commandment  was  given  in  March,  1829,  two  months  before,  say- 
ing to  Joseph: 

"  And  you  have  a  gift  to  translate  the  plates,  and  this  is  the  first  gift  that  I 
bestowed  upon  you;  and  I  have  commanded  that  you  pretend  to  no  other 
gift  until  my  purpose  is  fulfilled  in  this,  for  I  will  grant  unto  you  no  other 
gift  until  it  is  finished."— D.  C.  4 :  1. 

That  this  could  have  no  direct  reference  to  spiritual  gifts,  such 

as  discerning  of  spirits,  visions,  angelic  ministrations,  revelations, 

etc.,  etc,,  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  Joseph  possessed  all  these 

for  months,  and   years,  prior   to  this  revelation.     He,  in  the  com- 

7 


98  IMITATING  BIBLE. 

mandment  then  given  him,  enjoyed  the  gift  of  revelation.  It  re- 
ferred, no  doubt,  to  matters  of  translation,  the  chief  topic  of  the 
clause  quoted,  and  to  showing  the  plates  to  others.  Joseph  had 
"the  gift"  to  translate  only  the  unsealed  part  of  the  plates,  and  he 
was  not  privileged,  or  given  the  right,  to  show  the  plates  to  any 
until  the  translation  was  completed;  for  Joseph  says: 

"  The  same  heavenly  messenger  delivered  them  up  to  me  with  this  charge  : 
that  I  should  be  responsible  for  them :  and  that  if  I  should  let  them  go  care- 
lessly, or  through  any  neglect  of  mine,  I  should  be  cut  off;  but  that  if  I 
would  use  my  endeavors  to  preserve  them,  until  he,  the  messenger  should 
call  for  them,  they  should  be  protected." — Times  and  Seasons,  vol.  3,  p.  722;. 
Millennial  Star,  vol.  14,  Supplement,  page  6. 

And  it  wras  further  said  to  Joseph: 

'•  I  have  caused  you  that  you  should  enter  into  a  covenant  with  me,  that 
you  should  not  show  them  [the  plates]  except  to  those  persons  whom  I  com- 
manded you,  and  you  have  no  power  over  them  except  I  grant  it  unto  vou." 
— D.  C.  4 :  1. 

Now  this  was  said  to  Joseph  because  Martin  Harris  "desired  a 
witness  [at  the  hand  of  the  Lord]  that  you,  my  servant  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr.,  have  got  the  plates  of  which  you  have  testified  and 
borne  record  that  you  have  received  of  me"  (D.  C.  4:  1).  In  June 
of  1829,  Martin  Harris  obtained  from  the  Lord  the  desired  "wit- 
ness," in  connection  with  D.  Whitmer  and  O.  Cowdery.  Joseph 
had  the  gift  to  translate  the  plates,  but  not  to  show  them  until  the 
translation  was  finished.  This  is  the  easy  and  natural  solution  of 
what  Mr.  Sheldon  has  labored  hard  to  make  "a  puzzle"  and  a  con- 
tradiction. 

IMITATING    THE    BIBLE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"  The  Book  of  Mormon  betrays  its  weakness  in  imitating  the  style  of  Bible 
phraseology — a  style  in  common  use  at  the  time  our  Bible  was  first  trans- 
lated into  the  English  language,  but  which  has  long  since  ceased  to  be  used, 
except  as  it  is  retained  in  our  version  of  the  Bible." 

All  critics  do  not  agree  with  him  on  this  point.  Some  hold  that 
the  dissimilarity  in  the  style  of  the  two  books,  in  respect  to  their 
phraseology,  is  evidence  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  spurious. 
That  the  style  of  speech  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  somewhat  like 
that  of  the  Bible,  especially  the  Old  Testament,  is  true;  but  that  it 
is  strikingly  so,  is  not  true,  as  any  one  who  carefully  reads  the  twro 
books  can  see.  That  the  diction,  or  manner  of  expression,  peculiar  to 
both  the  Bible  and  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  largely  and  mainly  due 
to  the  style  of  the  originals  is,  we  think,  a  well  attested  fact.  But 
of  the  Bible  Mr.  Sheldon  asserts  to  the  contrary,  holding  that  its 
style  of  phraseology  is  due  to  that  which  was  common  to  its  trans- 


LANGUAGE  CHANGES.  99 

lators.  Max  Muller,  one  of  England's  most  eminent  scholars,  in 
one  of  his  Essays  on  the  Science  of  Religion,  holds  the  very  oppo- 
site of  Mr.  Sheldon,  for  in  his  admirable  and  successful  effort  to 
prove  that  the  Hebrew  original  of  the  word  created — "bara"  (Gen. 
1:  l,etc.),  signifies  "to  create  out  of  pre-existing  matter,"  says: 

"  In  the  minds  of  those  whom  Moses  addressed,  and  whose  language  he 
spoke,  it  [the  phrase,  or  form  of  expression,  by  which  he  speaks  of  God's  cre- 
ating heaven  and  earth]  could  only  have  called  forth  the  simple  conception 
of  fashioning  or  arranging.  *  *  *  To  find  out  how  the  words  of  the  Old  Tes- 
tament were  understood  by  those  to  whom  they  were  originally  addressed 
is  a  task  attempted  by  a  very  few  interpreters  of  the  Bible.  The  great  ma- 
jority of  readers  transfer  without  hesitation  the  ideas  which  they  connect 
with  words  as  used  in  the  nineteenth  century  to  the  mind  of  Moses  or  his 
cotemporaries,  forgetting  altogether  the  distance  which  divides  their  language 
and  their  thoughts  from  the  thoughts  and  language  of  the  wandering  tribes 
of  Israel." 

Again: 

"  It  is  well  known  that  we  have  in  the  language  of  the  New  Testament  the 
clear  vestiges  of  Greek  and  Roman  influences,  and  if  we  knew  nothing  of  the 
historical  intercourse  between  those  two  nations  and  the  writers  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  very  expressions  [phraseology]  used  by  them,  not  only  their 
language,  but  their  thoughts,  their  allusions,  illustrations  and  similes,  would 
enable  us  to  say  that  s  me  historical  contact  had  taken  place  between  the 
philosophers  of  Greece,  the  lawgivers  of  Rome,  and  the  people  of  Judea.  *  * 
Why  should  there  be  any  hesitation  in  pointing  out  in  the  Old  Testament 
anEgyptain  custom,  or  a  Greek  word,  or  a  Persian  conception1}  If  Moses  was 
learned  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians,  nothing  surely  would  stamp  hi& 
writings  as  more  truly  historical  'than  traces  of  Egyptian  influences  that 
might  be  discovered  in  his  laws:" 

Now  all  this  teaches  that  the  style  of  expression — the  phraseology 
— as  well  as  the  ideas,  of  God's  ancient  people  are  sought  to  be 
preserved  in  the  common  version  of  the  Bible.  And  it  is  not  at 
all  strange  that  there  should  be  some  similarity  between  the  writ- 
ings of  the  ancient  Nephites  in  America  and  the  ancient  Israelites 
in  Judea;  for  both  sprang  from  the  same  nation,  having  the  same 
language  in  the  main,  and  the  same  scriptures  up  to  the  time  of 
Jeremiah,  and  were  taught  by  the  same  Spirit  from  one  and  the 
same  God  and  the  same  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

ELIAS GABRIEL. 

Mr.  Sheldon  objects  to  the  revelations  of  Joseph  because  that, 
in  D.  C.  26:  2,  it  is  said:  "Which  Zechariah  he  [Elias]  visited,  and 
gave  promise  that  he  should  have  a  son,  and  his  name  should  be 
John,"  whereas  in  Luke  1:  19,  the  angel's  name  is  said  to  be  "Ga- 
briel." 

Angels,  as  well  as  others  may  have  different  names-     Peter  was 


100  ELI  AS,  WITNESSES. 

sometimes  called  Cephas  and  sometimes  Simon.  Jesus  had  many 
titles — Christ,  the  Lord,  the  Holy  One,  Messiah,  Immanuel,  etc., 
etc.  But  Mr.  Sheldon  says  "it  is  a  trick  of  rogues"  to  change  ones 
name.  Was  it  a  "trick  of  rogues"  for  Peter,  and  Jasus,  and  Jacob, 
and  Abraham,  and  Saul  of  Tarsus,  and  hosts  of  other  Bible  wor- 
thies to  change  their  names?  Are  you  not  rather  sweeping  in  your 
denunciations,  Mr.  Sheldon?  In  your  effort  to  thus  strike  down 
"Mormonism,"  are  you  not  fighting  against  the  facts  of  the  Bible? 
Men  of  God,  also  Christ,  have  various  names  which  are  alike  hon- 
ored of  God  by  their  being  used  by  the  Spirit  of  God.  Why  then 
should  it  be  thought  unreasonable  that  angels  should  have  different 
names,  and  that  the  angel  Avho  announced  to  Zechariah  the  birth  of 
John  should  be  called  both  Elias  and  Gabriel?  Presumptive  evi- 
dence that  the  angel  "Gabriel"  was  none  other  than  "Elias"  lies 
in  the  peculiarity  of  the  promise:  "And  he  [John]  shall  go  before 
him  in  the  spirit  and  paw  of  Elias,"  (Luke  1:  17),  from  which  it 
may  be  easily  inferred  that  "Elias"  (Elijah,  Heb.)  would  be  "his 
angel,"  to  watch  over,  direct,  and  aid  him,  in  his  life  and  ministry. 
Further  evidence  lies  in  the  promise  made  through  Malachi  4:  5, 
"Behold,  I  will  send  you  Elijah  [Elias,  Gr.],  the  prophet  before 
the  coming  of  the  great  and  dreadful  day  of  the  Lord,"  which 
Jesus  applied  to  John  the  Baptist.  (Matt.  11:  14;  17:  12);  and 
yet  which  John  denies,  (John  1:  21),  when  he  said  he  was  not  the 
Elias.  John  was  the  Elias  to  that  generation,  inasmuch  as  he  act- 
ed under  the  ministration  of  Elias  (Elijah,  Heb.),  his  angel;  yet 
personnlhj  he  was  not  the  Elias,  but  only  John  the  Baptist.  In 
this  we  have  a  rational  solution  of  a  seeming  contradiction  between 
the  testimony  of  John  and  Christ.  And  if  Elias  and  Gabriel  were 
two  personages,  it  is  not  impossible  that  both  of  them  made  the 
announcement  to  Zechariah. 

THE    PLATES,    AND    THE    WITNESSES. 

We  now  come  to  another  link  in  the  lengthy  chain  of  objections 
urged  by  Mr.  Sheldon,  and  to  the  weakest  and  most  unreasonable  so 
far.  It  is  in  regard  to  the  testimony  of  the  "three"  and  the  "eight" 
witnesses  to  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Mr.  Sheldon  admits  what  no 
reasonable  and  well  informed  person  can  deny,  that  "Joseph  might 
have  had  plates  of  some  kind,  either  found  or  prepared  to  imitate 
gold,"  yet  he  claims  that  the  witnesses,  all  of  them,  the  three  and 
the  eight,  were  mistaken — that  is,  deceived — that  their  testimony 
is  contradictory,  and  that  many  of  its  essential  parts  are  based  on 
second-hand  testimony — "on  the  strength  of  Joseph's  word;" 
and  in  his  method  of  argument  he  reaches  the  very  climax  of  ab- 


FAITH,  WITNESSES.  101 

surdity,  exposing  himself  on  every  hand  to  contempt  for  his  wit, 
and  to  painful  distrust  of  the  piety  of  his  intentions,  he  says: 

"  How  did  the  three  witnessee  see  the  plates?  In  a  revelation  made  to 
them  'previous  to  their  viewing  the  plates'  it  was  said  to  them :  'It  is  by 
your  faith  that  you  shall  obtain  a  view  of  them,  even  by  that  faith  which 
was  had  by  the  prophets  of  old.' — D.  C.  15  :  1.  How  much  faith  would  it  re- 
quire to  see  a  piece  of  gold  where  it  really  existed  ?  Not  much ;  but  where 
it  did  not  exist,  it  might  need  considerable  faith  to  view  it.  Doubtless  this 
might  have  been  so  with  these  sacred  plates ;  they  believed  that  what  they 
saw  wras  gold,  that  an  angel  brought  them ;  and  that  the  voice  of  God  en- 
dorsed the  translatien,  being  told  all  this  by  Joseph." 

The  eight  witnesses  (not  the  three),  claim  that  the  plates  "have 
the  appearance  of  gold;"  and  they  claim  also  to  have  handled  them 
with  their  hands,  and  to  have  hefted  them  likewise.  Mr.  Sheldon 
questions  the  propriety  of  their  faith  having  anything  to  do  with 
their  seeing  the  plates,  and  argues  substantially,  that  they  only 
imagined  that  they  saw  them.  But  it  is  not  at  all  strange  that  most 
implicit  faith  (not  imaginings)  should  be  required  of  the  three 
witnesses,  who  saw  the  plates  in  the  hands  of  the  angel  of  God  in 
an  open  vision. 

The  Scriptures  say: 

"Without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  God." — Heb.  11 :  6. 

"Go  thy  way;  and  as  thou  hast  believed,  so  be  it  done  unto  thee.  And 
his  servant  was  healed  from  that  hour." — Matt.  8 :  13. 

"But  the  word  preached  did  not  profit  them  [Israel],  not  being  mixed 
with  faith  in  them  that  heard  it." — Heb.  4:  2. 

"For  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith  is  sin." — Rom.  14:  23. 

"Having  then  gifts  differing  according  to  the  grace  that  is  given  to  us, 
whether  prophecy,  let  us  prophesy  according  to  the  proportion  of  faith. "- 
Rom.  12 :  6. 

"Then  came  the  disciples  to  Jesus  apart,  and  said,  Why  could  not  we  cast 
him  out?  And  Jesus  said  unto  them,  Because  of  your  unbelief." — Matt. 
17  :  20. 

"And  he  did  not  many  mighty  works  there  [in  his  own  country]  because 
of  their  unbelief."— Matt.  13  :  58. 

"  Jesus  said  unto  him,  If  thou  canst  believe,  all  things  are  possible  to  him 
that  believeth."— Mark  9  :  23. 

"If  ye  will  not  believe,  surely  ye  shall  not  be  established.." — Isa.  7:  9. 

Time  would  fail  us  to  cite  the  innumerable  evidences  that  God 
works  among  his  people  according  to  their  faith.  Why  should  a 
professor  of  the  religion  of  the  Bible  scoif  at  the  idea  that  these 
three  witnesses  must  have  faith  in  God  in  order  to  be  worthy  and 
qualified  to  behold  the  wonderful  vision,  by  the  power  of  God,  of 
these  sacred  plates?  Has  he  forgotten  the  scriptures?  Or  is  he 
so  unfair,  so  partisan,  as  to  allow  that  faith  was  essential  in  the 
service  of  God  in  ancient  times,  but  not  necessary  now! 

As  to  his  insinuation  that   the  witnesses   merely  imagined  that 


102  EIGHT  WITNESSES. 

what  they  saw  was  gold,  its  folly  is  so  self-evident  that  a  reply  is 
scarcely  needed.  The  eleven  witnesses, — O.  Cowdery,  M.  Harris, 
D.  Whitmer,  Hiram  Page,  Joseph  Smith,  sen.,  Jacob  Whitmer, 
Christian  Whitmer,  Peter  Whitmer,  jun.,  John  Whitmer, 
Hyrum  Smith,  and  Samuel  H.  Smith, — were  men  of  at  least  ordi- 
nary natural  abilities,  while  many  of  them  had  a  fair  English  edu- 
cation, and  a  moderate  acquaintance  with  the  common  affairs  of 
business.  Now,  it  is  highly  improbable,  if  not  quite  impossible, 
for  an  illiterate  young  man  of  from  twenty-three  to  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  as  was  Joseph  Smith,  with  whom  they  were  most  in- 
timately acquainted,  and  with  whom  they  were  frequently  asso- 
ciated, to  have  deceived  these  eleven  witnesses  in  the  manner 
claimed  by  Mr.  Sheldon.  The  idea  is  absolutely  preposterous  and 
reflects  but  little  credit  upon  the  sagacity  of  the  one  who  originated 
it.  Gold,  as  a  medium  of  exchange,  was  then  in  common  use,  so 
that  persons  doing  any  business  at  all  would  have  some  actual 
knowledge  as  to  what  was  gold,  and  what  was  not.  To  think  that 
Joseph  Smith  could  have  prepared  a  large  book  of  plates  "having 
the  appearance  of  ancient  work,  and  of  curious  workmanship, 
which  have  the  appearance  of  .gold,"  and  could  have  imposed  them 
upon  eleven  sensible,  intelligent  men,  some  of  whom  were  skilled 
in  all  the  common  affairs  of  life,  may  do  for  idiots,  but  not  for  men 
who  have  an  ordinary  measure  of  common  sense. 

Says  Mr.  Sheldon,  "They  believed  what  they  saw  was  gold;"  and 
he  says  he  thinks  "tin  plates,  dipped  in  a  dye  that  would  have  given 
them  a  golden  color  to  superficial  observers,  would  suffice  in  the 
hands  of  Joseph  to  get  such  a  certificate"  as  is  given  by  the  eight 
witnesses.  If  they  could  be  so  easily  duped  in  respect  to  color,  how 
then  in  respect  to  the  great  number  of  the  plates,  and  how  in  re- 
spect to  their  being  "of  ancient  work,  and  of  curious  workmanship?" 
If  there  had  been  but  one  plate,  and  that  without  engravings,  it 
would  have  been  next  to  impossible  for  the  young  and  inexper- 
ienced Joseph  to  have  deceived  the  eleven  witnesses,  or  even  the 
eight,  in  respect  to  its  material  and  general  character.  But  for 
him  to  prepare  a  large  book  of  plates,  and  those  plates  elaborately 
engraved  with  characters  that  had  "the  appearance  of  ancient 
work,  and  of  curious  workmanship"  —a  work  requiring  great  labor 
and  most  consummate  skill— and  then  palm  them  upon  eleven 
rational  men  as  genuine  records — records  of  very  remote  ages,  and 
sacred  at  that — is  quite  past  belief.  The  facts  are,  their  testimony 
is  true,  and  valid  for  the  purposes  for  which  it  was  given,  or  else 
these  witnesses  are  deceivers  of  the  basest  class.  The  eight  wit- 
nesses say: 


THE  WITNESSES.  103 

"We  did  handle  with  our  hands  *  *  *  as  many  of  the  leaves  as  the  said 
Smith  has  translated ;  *  *  *  we  have  seen  and  hefted  [*'.  e.  lifted,  for  the 
purpose  of  judging  of  their  weight],  and  know  of  a  surety  that  the  said  Smith 
has  got  the  plates  of  which  we  have  spoken." 

Mr.  Sheldon  affirms  that 

"  The  testimony  of  the  eight  witnesses  disagrees  with  the  three.  They  do 
not  claim  that  an  angel  brought  the  plates  from  heaven  for  them  to  view, 
and  they  deny  that  they  were  in  the  possession  of  the  angel." 

It  is  true  that  "  They — the  eight  witnesses — do  not  claim  that  an 
angel  brought  the  plates  from  heaven  for  them  to  view;"  but  it  is  not 
true  that  "they  deny  that  they  were  in  the  possession  of  the  angel." 
The  eight  witnesses  simply  testify  that  when  they  saw  them, 
handled  them,  and  hefted  them,  that  then  Joseph  Smith  did  have  . 
the  plates.  As  to  the  fact  of  the  angel's  having  them  both  before 
and  after  that  time,  they  do  not  pretend  to  testify,  and  this  was 
very  proper.  In  regard  to  the  testimony  of  the  three  witnesses,  in 
particular,  Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"  They  believed  that  what  they  saw  was  gold ;  ihat  an  angel  brought  them ; 
.and  that  the  voice  of  God  endorsed  the  translation,  being  told  all  this  by 
Joseph." 

In  the  first  place,  as  before  seen,  the  three  do  not  testify  as  to  the 
plates  being  gold,  or  as  to  their  believing  they  were  gold.  His  are 
not  very  judicious  comments  upon  the  intelligence  and  shrewdness 
of  the  three  witnesses.  Mr.  Sheldon  knows  nothing  of  them  per- 
sonally, and  but  little  of  their  history.  And  to  our  mind,  his  view 
of  the  case  is  very  damaging  to  his  judgment.  When  Mr.  Sheldon 
assumes  that  three  such  experienced  and  intelligent  men  as  were  O. 
Cowdery,  D.  Whitmer,  and  M.  Harris  would  give  to  the  world  a 
certificate  so  definite  in  its  details,  and  so  highly  important  and 
conseqential  in  its  claims,  and  all  based  on  the  say-so  of  Joseph 
Smith,  he  exhibits  a  sorry  want  of  sense  or  fairness.  And  for  them 
to  testify,  "we  also  know  that  they  [the  plates]  have  been  trans- 
lated by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  for  his  voice  hath  declared  it 
unto  us;"  and  also  testify,  "we  have  seen  the  engravings  which  are 
upon  the  plates,  and  they  have  been  shown  unto  us  by  the  power  of 
God  and  not  of  man;"  and  further,  "we  declare  with  words  of 
soberness,  that  an  angel  of  God  came  down  from  heaven,  and  he 
brought  and  laid  before  our  eyes,  that  we  beheld  and  saw  the  plates, 
and  the  engravings  thereon;"  and  still  further,  "the  voice  of  the 
Lord  commanded  us  that  we  should  bear  record  of  it;"  and  for 
them  to  do  all  this  upon  Ihe  mere  word  or  representation  of  Joseph 
to  them — "being  told  all  this  by  Joseph,"  as  Mr.  Sheldon  puts  it- — 
is  for  them  to  do  a  most  improbable  and  very  foolish  thing. 


104  WITNESSES— THREE. 

They  testify  that  "the  voice  of  the  Lord"  commanded  them  to 
bear  record  of  the  witness  that  God  gave  them  concerning  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  They  testify  that  "an  angel  of  God  came  down 
from  heaven,  and  HE  brought  and  laid  before  our  eyes,  that  we 
beheld  and  saw  the  plates,  and  the  engravings  thereon."  They  tes- 
tify that  the  plates  "have  been  translated  by  the  gift  and  power  of 
God,  for  his  voice  hath  declared  it  unto  us."  And  yet  Mr.  Sheldon 
has  the  hardihood  to  state  that, 

"These  witnesses  do  not  say  that  they  saw  the  angel  come  down ;  they 
were  doubtless  told  so  by  Joseph.  Nor  do  they  affirm  that  they  heard  the 
voice  of  God  ;  it  doubtless  came  through  Joseph's  revelation,  commanding 
them  to  testify.  Thus  they  saio  no  angel,  and  heard  no  voice ;  they  simply 
affirmed  on  the  strength  of  Joseph's  word.  If  they  really  had  seen  an  ang- 
el, they  would  have  said  so.  If  they  had  heard  a  voice  from  heaven,  they 
would  have  said  so.  Nor  is  it  sure  that  they  saw  the  plates,  except  by  faith, 
through  Joseph  " 

In  this  Mr.  Sheldon  mistates  and  flatly  contradicts  the  record  we 
have  herein  presented,  also  that  same  record  as  found  in  the  testi- 
mony of  the  three  witnesses  on  a  fly  leaf  in  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
from  which  we  quote.  His  blindness,  or  malice,  is  very  great  and 
very  condemnable.  His  statements  are  basely  false,  and  he  ought 
to  know  it. 

If  they,  personally ^  saw  not  the  plates,  and  the  engravings  there- 
on; and  if  they  saw  not  "an  angel  of  God"  come  down  from 
heaven;  and  if  the  angel  of  God  did  not  bring  the  plates  and  lay 
them  before  their  eyes;  and  if  they  did  not  hear  the  voice  of  God 
to  themselves;  and  if  the  plates  were  not  shown  to  them  "by  the 
power  of  God  and  not  of  man,"  then  they  were  vile  and  wilfull  im- 
postors, for  they  unequivocally  affirm  as  much.  The  disgraceful 
prevarications  imputed  to  them  by  Mr.  Sheldon  have  not  the  slight- 
est foundation  in  fact,  and  they  would  have  been  heartily  spurned 
by  those  men  of  God  and  hurled  back  with  scorn  upon  those  who 
might  have  suggested  them. 

O.  Cowdery,  who  became  an  attorney  of  pronounced  ability, 
always  bore  an  undeviating  testimony  to  the  Book  of  Mormon  till 
the  cold  waves  of  death  swept  him  from  the  shores  of  time.  And 
he,  after  years  of  reflection  and  profound  thought  upon  the  matter, 
never  marred  his  testimony  by  such  quibbles  as  are  presented  in 
the  criticisms  of  Mr.  Sheldon. 

Martin  Harris,  now  passed  within  the  vail,  whose  years  reached 
more  than  four  score  and  ten,  reaffirmed  his  testimony,  time  after 
time  since  1829,  and  would  have  scorned  the  thought  of  having  it 
explained  after  the  manner  of  Mr.  Sheldon. 

David  Whitmer,  dying  aged  over  eighty  years,  a  man  who  com- 


WITNESSES— THREE.  105 

manded  the  respect  and  esteem  of  those  who  knew  him,  a  man  of 
high  intellectual  attainments,  as  noticed  in  the  former  part  of  our 
article,  he,  too,  always  unflinchingly  and  unqualifiedly  maintained 
his  testimony  concerning  the  Book  of  Mormon.  He  would  have 
despised  the  thought  of  his  testimony  being  based  upon  such 
grounds  as  are  assumed  by  Mr.  Sheldon. 

Joseph,  in  his  History  of  the  Church,  gives  an  account  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  three  witnesses  obtained  the  evidences  upon 
which  their  special  testimony  is  based.  He  says: 

"  Not  many  days  after  the  above  commandment  [D.  C.  sec.  15]  was  given, 
we  four,  viz.,  Martin  Harris,  David  Whitmer,  Oliver  Cowdery,  and  myself, 
agreed  to  retire  into  the  woods,  and  try  to  obtain,  by  fervent  and  humble 
prayer,  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  given  in  the  revelation — that  they 
should  have  a  view  of  the  plates,  &c.  We  accordingly  made  choice  of  a 
piece  of  woods  convenient  to  Mr.  Whitmer's  house,  to  which  we  retired,  and 
having  knelt  down,  we  began  to  pray  in  much  faith  to  Almighty  God  to  be- 
stow upon  us  a  realization  of  these  promises.  According  to  previous  arrange- 
ments I  commenced  by  vocal  prayer  to  our  heavenly  Father,  and  was  fol- 
lowed by  each  of  the  rest  in  succession.  We  did  not,  however,  obtain  any 
answer  or  manifestation  of  the  divine  favor  in  our  behalf.  We  again  ob- 
served the  same  order  of  prayer,  each  calling  on  and  praying  fervently  to 
God  in  rotation,  but  with  the  same  result  as  before.  Upon  this,  our  second 
failure,  Martin  Harris  proposed  that  he  should  withdraw  himself  from  us, 
believing,  as  he  expres  ed  himself,  that  his  presence  was  the  cause  of  our  not 
obtaining  what  we  wished  for;  he  accordingly  withdrew  from  us,  and  we 
knelt  down  again,  and  had  not  been  many  minutes  engaged  in  prayer,  when 
presently  we  beheld  a  light  above  us  in  the  air,  of  exceeding  brightness : 
and  behold,  an  angel  stood  before  us ;  in  his  hands  he  held  the  plates  which 
we  had  been  praying  for  these  to  have  a  view  of;  he  turned  over  the  leaves 
one  by  one,  so  th'at  we  could  see  them,  and  discover  the  engravings  thereon 
distinctly.  He  then  addressed  himself  to  David  Whitmer,  and  said,  'David, 
blessed  is  the  Lord  and  he  that  keeps  his  commandments.'  When,  imme- 
diately afterwards,  we  heard  a  voice  from  out  of  the  bright  light  above  us, 
saying,  'These  plates  have  been  revealed  by  the  power  of  God,  and  they 
have  been  translated  by  the  power  of  God.  The  translation  of  them  which 
you  have  seen  is  correct  and  I  command  you  to  bear  record  of  what  you  now 
see  and  hear.'  I  now  left  David  and  Oliver,  and  went  in  pursuit  of  Martin 
Harris,  whom  I  found  at  a  considerable  distance,  fervently  engaged  in 
prayer.  He  soon  told  me,  however,  that  he  had  not  yet  prevailed  with  the 
Lord,  and  earnestly  requested  me  to  join  him  in  prayer,  that  he  also  might 
realize  the  same  blessings  which  we  had  just  received.  We  accordingly 
joined  in  prayer,  and  ultimately  obtained  our  desires,  for,  before  we  had  yet 
finished,  the  same  vision  was  o'pen  to  our  view,  at  least  it  was  again  to  me, 
and  I  once  more  beheld  and  heard  the  same  things,  whilst  at  the  same  mo- 
ment Martin  Harris  cried  out,  apparently  in  ecstacy  of  joy,  "Tis  enough; 
mine  eyes  have  beheld,'  and  jumping  up,  he  shouted  'Hosannah,'  blessing 
God,  and  otherwise  rejoiced  exceedingly. 

"  Having  thus,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  obtained  these  manifestations, 
it  now  remained  for  these  three  individuals  to  fulfill  the  commandment 
which  they  had  received,  viz,  to  bear  record  of  these  things;  in  order  to  ac- 


106  WITNESSES— THREE. 

complish  which  they  drew  up  and  described  [subscribed]   the  following 
document." 

Here  follows  the  testimony  of  the  three  witnesses  as  found  on 
the  first  leaves  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  It  will  be  observed  that 
"they"  (the  "three  witnesses")  "drew  up  and  described  [subscribed] 
the  following  document,"  (their  testimony). 

MARTIN    HARRIS. 

To  the  question,  "Did  you,  Martin  Harris,  go  to  England  to 
lecture  against  Mormonism?" — a  question  propounded  by  Sr.  H. 
B.  Emerson,  of  New  Richmond,  Ohio,  in  1870,  Martin  Harris  re- 
plied: 

"  I  answer  emphatically,  No,  I  did  not;  no  man  ever  heard  me  in  any  way 
deny  the  Book  of  Mormon,  the  administration  of  the  angel  that  showed  me 
the  plates ;  nor  the  organization  of  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of  Latter  Day 
Saints  under  the  ministration  of  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  the  prophet,  whom  the 
Lord  raised  up  for  that  purpose  in  these  latter  days,  that  he  might  show 
forth  his  power  and  glory.  The  Lord  has  shown  me  these  things  by  his 
Spirit,  by  the  administration  of  holy  angels,  and  confirmed  the  same  with 
signs  following,  step  by  step,  as  the  work  has  progressed,  for  the  space  of 
fifty-three  years."— True  Latter  Day  Saints  Herald,  Oct.  15,  1875.  . 

He  further  said: 

"  I  do  say  that  the  angel  did  show  to  me  the  plates  containing  the  Book  of 
Mormon.  Further,  the  iranslation  that  I  carried  to  Prof.  Anthon  was  copied 
from  those  plates.  *  *  *  I  do  firmly  believe,  and  do  know  that  Joseph 
Smith  was  a  prophet  of  God." — Herald,  vol.  22,  p.  630. 

Before  us  is  a  letter  just  received,  written  by  Elder  Charles 
Deny,  who  for  many  years  was  an  active  minister  in  the  Church  in 
England  and  this  letter  contains  important  information  as  to  the 
attitude  of  Martin  Harris  toward  the  Book  of  Mormon  when  he 
~was  lecturing  in  England  against  the  evils  of  Brighamism.  It 
reads: 

"  In  the  Herald  of  October  15,  1875,  I  find  a  communication  from  Martin 
Harris,  one  of  the  three  witnesses  to  the  Book  of  Mormon,  in  which  he  de- 
clares that  he  did  not  go  to  England  to  lecture  against  Mormonism.  That 
declaration  is  true ;  but  it  may  be  interesting  to  know  what  he  went  there  for. 
Not  having  a  Millennial  8ti.tr  by  me  of  that  date,  I  can  not  tell  exactly  the 
time,  but  think  it  was  in  1846.  My  first  wife,  (then  Anna  Stokes),  told  me 
that  she  saw  him  in  Birmingham,  in  the  Saints'  meeting-house.  He  had 
gone  there  from  this  land  to  oppose  the  pretensions  of  Brigham  Young  and 
the  Twelve,  who  were  then  laying  the  foundations  for  polygamy  and  Brig- 
hamite  rule.  A  young  man  of  her  acquaintance,  in  the  presence  of  the  as- 
sembly, presented  to  him  his  testimony  with  his  name  in  connection  with 
the  other  two  witnesses  names,  and  asked  him  if  that  was  his  name,  and 
Martin  replied,  'It  is.'  'Did  you  put  your  name  to  that  testimony?'  Martin 

.  -answered,  'I  did ;  and  that  Book  of  Mormon  is  the  Book  of  God.    I  know 

.more  about  that  book  than  any  man  living.' " 


WITNESSES— THREE.  107 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  three  witnesses  withdrew 
from  active  fellowship  in  the  Church  as  early  as  1838,  but  not  for 
want  of  faith  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  or  in  the  prophetic  mission 
of  Joseph.  Some,  if  not  all  of  them,  thought  the  church  was 
swerving  from  the  right,  and  was  tending  to  apostasy.  And  it  is 
probable  that  personal  grievances  and  personal  interests  had  much 
to  do  with  them  in  shaping  their  course  toward  the  Church.  But 
amid  all  their  trials  and  afflictions,  and  though  separated  from  the 
Church  in  their  associations,  and  having  many  strong  inducements 
to  abandon  their  faith  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  they  nevertheless 
ever  and  to  the  last  steadfastly  maintained,  with  cheerful  and  earn- 
est zeal,  and  with  a  loving  hope  in  God,  their  marvelous  and  highly 
important  testimony.  If  they  had  remained  in  full  and  active  fel- 
lowship with  the  Church  and  in  the  ministry,  it  might  have  been 
argued  by  opposers  that  all  their  interests  and  surrounding  influ- 
ences were  of  such  a  character  as  to  forbid  their  turning  from,  or 
retracting  their  testimony.  But  these  reasons  can  not  now  be  as- 
signed for  their  steadfastness.  There  were  many  causes  to  prompt 
them  to  deny  the  work,  and  many  surroundings  well  calculated  to 
draw  them  away  from  the  faith;  but  their  love  of  God  and  his 
truth,  their  sincerity  of  heart,  their  honesty  of  purpose,  and  their 
exceeding  great  knowledge  by  the  ministry  of  angels,  by  the  gifts 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  and  by  the  many 
wonderful  dealings  of  God  within  their  observation  and  experience, 
all  united  to  render  it  morally  impossible  for  them  to  recant  and 
turn  away  from  their  testimony. 

Joseph,  Oliver,  Martin  and  David — their  united  testimony  lives 
to-day,  though  they  have  passed  away  to  that  God  who  gave  them 
being.  They  were  competent  and  credible  witnesses;  and  their 
joint  testimony  is  now  in  force.  Men  of  intelligence,  men  of  in- 
tegrity, fearless  and  unflinching  men,  their  testimony  and  their 
memory  will  live  and  be  honored,  when  their  defamers  and  tra- 
ducers  will  have  gone  down  into  oblivion,  or  are  remembered  only 
with  pity  and  with  shame. 


108 

CHAPTER     V. 

SOUL  OF  MAN. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  claims  that  Joseph  Smith  was  a  false  prophet, 
and  the  Book  of  Mormon  untrue,  because  they  teach  that  the 
spirit  or  soul  of  man  is 'a  conscious  being,  a  living,  active  entity, 
and  remains  such  after  the  death  of  man,  (see  also  p.  95).  He  says: 

"While  the  Bible  represents  death  as  reducing  man  to  a  state  of  uncon- 
sciousness till  the  resurrection,  the  Book  of  Mormon  affirms  'that  there  is  a 
space  between  death  and  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  a  state  of  the  soul 
in  happiness  or  in  misery." — Alma,  ch.  18." 

Joseph  Smith  and  the  Book  of  Mormon  do  teach  that  the  soul  of 
man  survives  the  death  of  man,  and  that  it  exists  in  the  intermedi- 
ate state  as  an  intelligent,  active  agent.,  possessing  all  the  facul- 
ties and  powers  peculiar  to  the  intellectual,  spiritual  part  of  man 
in  this  life.  It  is  an  exalted  and  cheering  doctrine;  one  in  har- 
mony with  the  wisdom  and  love  of  God,  while  its  opposite,  the 
soul-sleeping  doctrine,  is  cheerless,  degrading,  repulsive,  and  utter- 
ly dishonoring  toward  God  and  man. 

The  unconscious  sloop,  or  mortality  of  the  soul  or  spirit,  is  ut- 
terly repugnant  to  the  natural  sense,  the  common  sentiment,  and 
the  universal  and  God-given  instincts  of  the  race.  For  proof  of 
this  we  consult  the  history,  poetry,  painting  and  sculpture  of  all 
nations  and  ages,  and  they  all  teach  us  that  man,  everywhere,  dur- 
ing all  past  time  believed  the  soul  was  a  real,  substantive  being,  and 
was  possessed  of  intense  consciousness  and  activity  when  no  longer 
"in  the  flesh."  The  ruins  of  ancient  Babylon  and  Nineveh  and 
Thebes  and  Memphis — with  their  pyramids,  temples,  tombs,  and 
monuments — open  their  stony  lips  and  proclaim  to  us  in  their 
glyphs  and  sculpturings,  how  prominent  was  this  sentiment  in 
those  times  so  near  the  tower  of  Babel  and  the  flood.  And  when 
we  examine  the  antiquities  of  America,  the  same  kind  of  evidence 
meets  us. 

Dr.  Clinton  Locke  says: 

"Personal  immortality  is  one  of  those  ideas  which  are  natural  to  the  mind 
of  man,  be  he  savage  or  be  he  sage." 

All  minds,  from  the  gifted  and  cultured  Plato  to  the  rude  savage 
of  the  forest,  have  been  thoroughly  possessed  with  this  elevating 
and  ennobling  thought,  a  thought  so  important  and  effectual  in  re- 
straining evil  and  inciting  to  that  which  is  good — an  incalculable 
power  in  lifting  up  the  race  into  better  conditions  of  life  and  being. 
We  trace  this  spontaneous  sentiment  in  man  as  readily  as  we  can 


SOUL  OF  MAN.  109 

trace  in  the  lower  orders  of  creation  the  unreasoning,  natural  im- 
pulses peculiar  to  them.  The  works  of  the  honey  bee,  the  spider, 
the  ant,  the  beaver,  the  swallow,  and  a  thousand  others  of  the  lower 
orders,  teach  us  that  the  Creator  has  for  wise  and  benevolent  pur- 
poses, endowed  these  creatures  with  instinctive  knowledge,  wisdom 
and  skill  suited  to  their  various  wants  and  conditions.  This  instinct 
is  in  some  sense  prophetic — revealing  to  the  inner  consciousness 
facts  and  conditions  not  known  by  actual  experience.  Man  and 
the  lower  orders  are  to  a  degree  alike  in  this  respect. 

A  wise  and  loving  God  would  never  have  implanted  in  man  the 
belief — instinctively — of  a  conscious  existence  after  death  unless 
such  a  belief  were  proper,  and  unless  such  a  state  of  existence  were 
real.  He  does  not  endow  the  lower  orders  of  creation  with  in- 
stincts, and  then  fail  to  provide  them  with  those  objects  circum- 
stances and  conditions  to  which  those  instincts  invariably  point  or 
lead.  And  inasmuch  as  the  race  is  universally  possessed  with  this 
sentiment,  (except  in  cases  of  extreme  barbarism,  moral  degradation, 
perverted  education),  it  is  conclusive  that  the  sentiment  is  a  true 
one,  and  that  it  is  wisely  ordained  of  God. 

Our  experiences  in  life  are  such  as  to  prove  that  the  soul  or  spirit 
of  man  is  a  living  entity,  a  being  distinct  from  the  physical  body, 
superior  to  the  body,  and  not  solely  dependent  upon  it  for  its  ex- 
istence. The  soul  retains  its  p'erfect  identity,  activity,  and  its 
force  and  capacity,  though  the  body  be  wasted  with  disease,  or  de- 
prived of  many  of  its  members. 

Dr.  Paine  says  that, 

"The  emaciated,  consumptive  patient,  with  only  snatches  of  sleep,  toils  at 
his  intellectual  labors,  even  after  reduced  to  a  slender  diet  of  bread  and 
water,  and  with  a  vigor  of  Mind  unsurpassed  in  days  of  health  and  refresh- 
ing enjoyments,"  and  that  "the  whole  history  of  the  malignant  epidemic 
cholera  presents  the  mind  as  sparkling  as  ever  in  the  midst  of  the  ruins  of 
organic  life,  in  which  are  included  the  drain  as  well  as  the  almst  pulseless 
heart,  and  the  expiring  functions  of  every  other  organ,  closely  representing 
the  disembodied  soul." — The  Soul  and  Instinct,  p.  115. 

A  late  speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  Michael  Kerr, 
retained  great  strength  of  intellect  and  force  of  spirit  until  the  im- 
mediate hours  of  death,  though  he  had  wasted,  slowly  away  in  his 
physical  being  to  a  mere  skeleton.  Of  the  late  Hon.  Wm.  G. 
Brownlow,  of  Tennessee,  it  is  said,  "Latterly  he  was  decrepit  to 
the  verge  of  utter  helplessness,  but  his  mind  and  temper  remained 
unweakened."  And  the  Hon.  A.  H.  Stephens,  who  was  dying  for 
twenty  years,  who  became  as  thin  as  a  ghost,  and,  physically,  as 
helpless  as  a  child,  when  wheeled  into  the  United  States  Court 
Room  in  his  invalid  chair,  in  which  he  sat,  electrified  and  aston- 


110  SOUL  OF  MAN. 

ished  his  hearers  with  a  lengthy,  "clear,  strong  and  eloquent  argu- 
ment, without  the  aid  of  manuscript  or  brief,  following  all  the  in- 
tricate windings  of  a  "case  with  a  hawk-like  alertness  that  showed 
his  intense  intellectual  activity."  All  this  and  much  more  that 
might  be  presented,  shows  both  the  superiority  of  the  soul  above 
the  body,  and  the  fact  of  the  soul  being  a  separate  entity  and  inde- 
pendent of  the  body  in  its  faculties  and  powers,  as  also  does  this 
text: 

"Thou  our  outward  man  perish,  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by 
day."— 2  Cor.  4:  16. 

"For  when  the  body  oft  expiring  lies, 
Its  limbs  quite  senseless,  and  half  closed  its  eyes, 
The  mind  new  force  and  eloquence  acquires, 
And  with  prophetic  voice  the  dying  lips  inspires." 

Man  is,  in  some  sense,  an  animal  machine.  The  soul  is  that 
which  thinks,  perceives,  reasons,  imagines,  wills,  hates,  loves,  re- 
joices and  sorrows,  hopes  and  worships— and  all  this  while  resid- 
ing within,  and  having  intelligent  control  of  the  body.  The  soul 
sustains  a  similar  relation  to  the  body  that  the  intelligent  engineer 
does  to  his  engine.  As  the  engineer,  to  control  his  engine,  must 
be  in  contact  with  it,  so  the  soul,  to  control  the  body,  must  dwell 
within  it.  As  the  engine  represents  the  body,  so  the  steam  repre- 
sents the  blood,  and  the  intelligent  engineer  the  soul.  As  the  en- 
gineer may  live  and  have  active  being  after  his  engine  is  wrecked 
and  destroyed,  so  the  soul  of  man  may  live  when  free  from  the 
body — when  "dust  returns  to  dust  as  it  was  before,  and  the  spirit 
returns  to  God  who  gave  it." 

Intelligence  and  volition  are  not  the  inherent  properties  of  inert 
matter;  but  they  are  of  the  soul,  and  this  demonstrates  that  the 
soul  is  above  and  superior  to  matter.  Mind  controls  matter,  and 
is  capable  of  self-action  and  self-determination.  The  brain  is  the 
seat  of  the  mind,  but  it  is  not  the  mind  itself  as  some  would  claim. 
It  is  simply  the  organ  of  the  mind,  the  instrument  through  which 
the  mind  operates  and  manifests  itself.  The  brain,  in  its  mental 
operations,  acts  only  as  it  is  acted  upon  by  the  intelligent  souL 
The  brain  is  the  soul's  chief  instrument,  the  body  with  all  its 
parts  rendering  subordinate  service. 

"  In  his  lecture  on  'Does  Death  End  All  ?'  in  Boston,  recently,  Joseph 
Cook  used  this  illustration  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul:  'As,  therefore, 
from  the  structure  of  the  eye  we  may  infer  the  existence  of  a  wholly  exter- 
nal agent,  light;  or  from  that  of  the  ear,  the  existence  of  a  wholly  external 
agent,  sound  ;  so  from  the  absolute  inertness  of  the  cerebral  structure  in  itself, 
we  must  attribute  its  activities  to  an  agent  as  external  to  it  as  sound  is  to  the 
ear  or  light  to  the  eye.  That  agent  is  "invisible  to  the  external  vision,  and 


SOUL— GOD.  Ill 

intangible  to  the  external  touch.  It  is  positively  known  to  consciousness, 
or  the  internal  vision  and  touch.  That  agent  is  the  soul.  As  the  dissolution 
of  the  eye  does  not  destroy  the  light,  the  external  agent  which  acts  upon  it, 
and  as  the  dissolution  of  the  ear  does  not  destroy  the  pulsation  of  the  airr 
the  external  agent  which  acts  upon  it,  so  the  dissolution  of  the  brain  does 
not  destroy  the  soul,  the  external  agent  which  sets  it  in  motion.' " 

We  prove  the  existence  of  the  soul  by  the  ideas  it  originates, 
and  the  work  it  performs.  We  see  its  work  in  language,  inven- 
tion, mechanic  arts,  music,  poetry,  painting,  and  in  many  other 
ways.  While  the  body  attains  perfection  in  about  from  twenty  to 
twenty-five  years,  or  earlier,  the  intelligent  soul  continues  to  im- 
prove, and  enlarge  its  capabilities  and  powers,  till  seventy,  eighty, 
or  more  years  pass  away,  and  this,  too,  while  the  body  is  wasting, 
and  failing  in  its  natual  powers. 

The  human  mind,  or  soul,  is  evidently  constituted  after  the  pat- 
tern of  the  Divine  mind,  or  soul.  The  Infinite  Mind,  which  de- 
signed, originated,  and  constructed  the  universe  in  all  its  parts,  has 
its  counterpart  (in  its  constitution,  though  not  in  greatness  and 
excellence)  in  the  mind  of  man  which  designs,  originates  and  achieves 
the  wonderful  works  of  art  seen  in  the  world's  history.  Inasmuch 
as  the  works  of  God  proclaim  His  personal  being  as  a  spirit,  so  the 
works  of  man  prove  that  the  spirit  or  soul  of  man  is  a  personal 
being.  And  if  the  works  of  God  prove  the  immortality  of  the 
mind  of  God,  why  shall  not  the  intellectual  works  of  man  prove 
the  immortality  of  the  mind  of  man?  Does  not  the  spirit,  the  in- 
tellectual part  of  man,  exist  on  the  same  plan  with  that  of  the 
"Father  of  spirits?"  Who  dare  say  it  does  not?  That  the  spirit 
or  soul  of  man  is  a  real  being,  a  separate  entity,  a  self-acting  agent 
when  in  the  body  of  flesh  or  out  of  it  is,  we  think,  just  as  reason- 
able, and  demonstrable,  as  that  the  "Father  of  spirits"  is  a  separ- 
ate entity,  a  self-acting  Being. 

Lest  some  should  think  us  irreverent  in  comparing  the  soul  of 
man  with  the  Divine  Soul,  we  will  give  them  our  scriptural 
grounds  for  doing  so: 

"  Your  new  moons  and  your  appointed  feasts  my  soul  hateth." — Isa.  1 :  14 
"Behold  mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth." — Isa.  42:  1. 
"Be  thou  instructed,  O  Jerusalem,   lest  my  soul  depart  from  thee." — 
Jer.  6  :  8. 

Thus  far  of  God.     Of  man  God  says: 
"  Love  the  Lord  your  God  with  all  your  soul." — Deut.  11 : 13. 
"  Come  unto  me,  and  hear,  and  your  soul  shall  live." — Isa.  55 :  3. 

As  relates  to  both  God  and  man,  the   term  refers,  we  see  to  the- 
intelligent,  conscious  nature. 


112  SPIRIT  OF  MAN. 

The  immortality  of  the  soul  may  be  clearly  inferred  in  its  desires 
for  immortality;  its  hopes  of  immortality;  its  instinctive  convic- 
tions of  immortality;  its  adaptability  for  immortality,  and,  finally, 
in  its  essential  likeness  to  God. 

Paul  teaches  that  God  is  "the  Father  of  spirits" — our  spirits, 
(Heb.  12:9),  and  that  "we  are  the  offspring  of  God." — Acts  17:  29. 

Who  has  traced  the  development  of  the  intelligent  soul  from  the 
cradle  to  the  grave,  that  has  seen  it  battle  with  the  ills  and  the  ob- 
stacles of  life  until  it  has  won  triumphant  victories  throughout  the 
realms  of  mind  and  matter,  in  every  department  of  life,  and,  finally, 
in  its  explorations,  planted  its  conquering  standards  upon  the  starry 
plains  of  infinitude — who  that  has  seen  this  can  believe  in  the 
mortality  of  the  soul,  or  that  it  sleeps  in  unconsciousness  when  man 
dies!  Such  a  belief  degrades  man,  and  dishonors  God  his  Maker. 

As  such  doctrine  is  irrational,  and  unphilosophical,  so  it  is  un- 
scriptural  and  utterly  contrary  to  the  belief  of  the  chosen  people  of 
God — first  the  Jews  and  after  them  the  early  Christians.  In  the 
Old  Testament,  the  spirit  or  soul  of  man  is  spoken  of,  and  usually 
treated  as  something  distinct  and  separate  from  the  body  of  man. 
A  few  instances  shall  suffice: 

"And  it  came  to  pass,  as  her  soul  was  in  departing,  (for  she  died),  that  she 
called  his  name  Ben-oni." — Gen.  35:  18. 

Dr.  Clark  renders  the  Hebrew  text  thus:  "In  the  going  away  of 
her  soul."  In  either  case  the  soul  did  not  die,  or  sleep,  nor  cease  to 
exist  with  the  body.  The  conscious  activity  of  the  soul  is  here 
plainly  taught,  in  its  "departing" — "going  away." 

Elijah  prayed: — 

"O  Lord  my  God,  I  pray  thee,  let  this  child's  soul  come  into  him  again. 
And  the  Lord  heard  the  voice  of  Elijah  ;  and  the  soul  of  the  child  came  into 
Mm  again,  and  he  revived." — 1  Kings  17 :  21,  22. 

In  this  case,  the  child's  soul  "departed"  away,  and  at  the  prayer 
of  the  man  of  God  it  returned  and  "came  into  him."  The  soul  is 
here  spoken  of  as  existing  for  a  time,  at  least,  out  of  the  body;  and 
then,  the  same  soul  returning  "into  him."  Now,  if  the  soul  could 
exist  outside  of  the  body  from  the  time  of  the  child's  death  till 
it  was  restored,  why  not  exist  for  a  longer  time?  Aye,  forever? 
Again: 

"Behold,  all  souls  are  mine;  as  the  soul  of  the  father,  so  also  the  soul  of 
the  son  is  mine ;  the  soul  that  sinneth  it  shall  die."— Ezek.  18  :  4. 

Here  we  see  the  father  and  the  son — living  men — are  each  pos- 
sessed of  a  soul,  and  that  soul  an  intelligent,  responsible  agent — 
capable  of  sinning,  and  of  becoming  dead  in  sin — "in  trespasses 
and  sins." 


SPIRITS.  113 

The  inherent  nature  of  a  spirit  is  life,  activity,  intelligence.  The 
word  spirit  is  often  used  to  signify  the  same  as  soul.  This  should 
be  noticed  briefly: 

"  And  Moses  spake  unto  the  Lord,  saying,  Let  the  Lord,  the  God  of  the 
spirits  of  all  flesh,  set  a  man  over  the  congregation." — Num.  27:  15,  16. 

Here  the  dual,  or  compound  nature  of  man — flesh  and  spirit — is 
clearly  seen.  The  term  spirit,  or  its  equivalent,  in  ancient  times 
signified  primarily,  and  generally,  a  real  substance,  though  highly 
refined  or  sublimated,  and  not  merely  disposition,  energy,  breath, 
or  ardor.  Locke,  the  author  of  a  treatise  On  the  Human  Under- 
standing, explains  it  thus: 

"  Spirit  is  a  substance  in  which  thinking,  knowing,  doubting  and  a  power 
of  moving,  do  subsist." 

And  it  is  clearly  of  individual,  substantive  spirits,  that  Moses 
speaks  in  the  foregoing  text.  And  the  same  may  be  said  of  the 
following: 

"But  there  is  a  spirit  in  man,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Almighty  giveth 
them  understanding." — Job  32 :  8. 

So  of  this: 

"  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children 
of  God."— Rom.  8:  16. 

While  the  first  "Spirit"  is  undoubtedly  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  sec- 
ond— "our  spirit" — is  as  evidently  the  intelligent  part  of  man — 
the  soul.  Again: 

"  For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man,  save  the  spirit  of  man  which 
is  in  him?"— I  Cor.  2:  11. 

Here  "the  spirit  of  man,"  is  his  intelligent  part.  And  what  is 
true  of  these  texts  is  true  of  hundreds  more.  We  have  now  learned 
from  the  Scriptures  what  part  of  man  is  conscious  and  therefore 
responsible.  And  we  shall  pursue  our  further  investigation  from 
this  standpoint. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  understand  the  inspired  writer  when  he 
describes  the  death  of  man: 

"  Then  shall  the  dust  return  to  the  earth  as  it  was,  and  the  spirit  shall  re- 
turn unto  God  who  gave  it." — Eccl.  12 :  7. 

So  also  of  the  following  texts: 

"  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  except  a  corn  of  wheat  fall  into  the  ground 
and  die,  it  abideth  alone;  but  if  it  die,  it  bringeth  forth  much  fruit." — 
John  12:  24. 

As  in  the  death  of  the  seed  the  living,  active  part  is  separated 

8 


114  INTEEMEDIATE  STATE. 

from  the  mere  body  that  contained  it,  and  then  passes  with  special 
activity  into  other  living  intermediate  conditions  before  reaching 
the  same  kind  of  a  body  that  it  leaves;  so  also  it  is  with  the  con- 
scious, spiritual  part  of  man.  Death  is  the  separating  of  the  vital, 
active  part  from  the  inert.  In  this  view  of  the  matter  the  words 
of  the  proto-martyr  Stephen  are  full  of  solemn,  cheering  signifi- 
cance, and  are  easily  understood. 

"  And  they  stoned  Stephen,  [he]  calling  upon  God,  an  d  saying,  Lord  Jesus, 
receive  my  spirit." — Acts  7  :  59. 

Now  Stephen  knew  where  Jesus  was — that  he  was  at  the  right 
hand  of  God  in  heaven — arid  he  evidently  knew  his  spirit  would 
survive  his  death,  be  separated  from  his  body,  and  that  by 
God's  grace  it  would  go  into  the  presence  of  Jesus.  Hence  he 
prayed  in  the  manner  quoted. 

While  Jesus  told  the  wicked  Jews,  "Ye  shall  die  in  your  sins; 
whither  I  go,  ye  can  not  come"  (John  8:  21);  yet  he  said  to  his 
disciples,  "Where  I  am,  there  shall  also  my  servant  be,"  (John  12: 
26.)  And  to  Peter: 

"Whither  I  go  thou  canst  not  follow  me  now;  but  thou  shalt  follow  me 
afterward."— John  13:  36. 

And  for  all  his  disciples  he  prayed: 

"  Father,  I  will  that  they  also,  whom  thou  hast  given  me,  be  with  me 
where  I  am  ;  that  they  may  behold  my  glory,  which  thou  hast  given  me." — 
John  17:  24. 

This  hope  of  being  with  Jesus,  in  the  presence  of  God,  at  death, 
is  sublime,  and  very,  very  comforting.  Such  it  was  to  Paul  the 
Apostle;  and  such  it  was  to  all  the  intelligent  early  Christians. 
A  few  passages  in  Paul's  writings  may  suffice  for  the  present: 

"  For  me  to  live  is  [to  serve]  Christ,  and  to  die  is  gain.  But  if  I  live  in 
the  flesh  this  [service  of  Christ]  is  the  fruit  of  my  labor;  yet  what  I  shall 
choose  I  wot  [know]  not.  For  I  am  in  a  straight  betwixt  two,  [desires], 
having  a  desire  to  depart  [from  the  flesh],  and  to  be  with  Christ;  which  is 
far  better.  Nevertheless  to  abide  in  the  flesh  is  more  needful  for  you," — Phil. 


The  sense  of  this  passage  is  so  manifest  that  no  lengthy  expla- 
nation is  needed.  The  question  with  Paul  was,  as  to  whether  it 
were  better,  all  things  considered,  for  him  to  "abide  in  the  flesh" 
for  the  good  of  the  church,  or  to  die,  depart  from  the  flesh,  and  be 
with  Christ,  which,  for  him,  personally,  would  be  "gain" — andy 
"far  better."  This  sense  of  the  text  harmonizes  beautifully  with 
what  he  afterwards,  on  the  eve  of  his  martyrdom,  wrote  to  Timo- 
thy: 


SPIRITS  IN  PRISON.  115 

"  For  I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand."— 2  Tim.  4:  6. 

So  also  it  does  with  2  Cor.  5:  6,  8. 

"Therefore  we  are  always  confident,  knowing  that,  whilst  we  are  at  home 
in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord.  *  *  *  We  are  confident,  I  say,  and 
willing  rather  to  be  absent  from  the  body,  and  to  be  present  with  the  Lord." 

No  amount  of  skilfull  perversion  can  make  these  texts  sustain 
the  mortality  or  sleep  of  the  soul  at  death,  when  that  term  is  ap- 
plied to  the  spirit  or  sentient  part  of  man.  A  living  man  is  often 
called  a  soul,  but  a  dead  man  never.  Hence  the  term  always  re- 
lates to  a  living  being . 

Peter,  too,  taught  the  entity,  and  consciousness  of  man's  spirit 
after  death.  He  says: 

"Yea,  I  think  it  meet,  as  long  as  I  am  in  this  tabernacle,  [fleshly  body],  to 
stir  you  up  by  putting  you  in  remembrance ;  knowing  that  shortly  I  must 
put  'off  this  my  tabernacle,  [body],  even  as  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  hath 
shewed  me."— 2  Pet.  1 :  13,  14. 

The  evident  sense  of  this  is,  that  Peter,  in  his  intellectual,  spritual 
nature — the  soul — lived  in  his  fleshly  body  as  in  a  "tabernacle"  or 
house;  and  that  his  intelligent  soul  would  "put  off"  the  fleshly  "ta- 
bernacle" in  death,  as  Jesus  had  shewed  him,  (John  21 :  18, 19).  To 
say  that  he  would  put  it  "off"  from  his  breath,  or  from  his  natural 
life — the  blood — is  absurd;  and  to  say  that  his  soul  or  spirit  would 
remain  in  him  asleep,  at  death,  is  to  flatly  contradict  the  text. 
When  persons  put  "off"  their  clothing,  they  are  the  same  persons 
they  were  when  they  had  their  clothing  on.  So  with  Peter,  his 
"tabernacle"  was  his  mortal  clothing;  this  he  could  "put  off"  from 
his  soul,  and  did  put  off  at  his  death. 

SPIRITS    IN    PRISON. 

In  another  place  Peter  teaches  the  entity  of  the  spirits  of  the 
dead,  and  their  consciousness,  when  he  says: 

"For  Christ  also  hath  once  suffered  for  sins,  the  just  for  the  unjust,  that  he 
might  bring  us  to  God,  being  put  to  death  in  the  flesh,  [his  flesh],  but  quick- 
ened [resurrected]  by  the  spirit,  [Holy  Spirit]  :  by  which  [Spirit],  also  he 
went  and  preached  unto  the  spirits  in  prison:  which  [spirits]  sometime 
were  disobedient,  when  once  the  long  suffering  of  God  waited  in  the  days  of 
Noah,  while  the  ark  was  a  preparing." — 1  Pet.  3 :  18,  20. 

That  these  were  the  spirits  of  the  dead,  and  that  Christ  preached 
to  them  in  their  disembodied  state,  is  made  clear  from  what 
follows: 

"  Who  shall  give  account  to  him  that  is  ready  to  judge  the  quick  [living] 
and  dead.  For,  for  this  cause  [the  coming  judgment]  was  the  gospel  preach- 
ed also  to  them  that  are  dead,  that  they  might  be  judged  according  to  [the 


116  HADES. 

same  as]  men  in  the  flesh,  but  live  according  to  God  [according  to  God's  laws] 
in  the  spir^'— I  Pet.  4:  5,  6. 

Prof.  Taylor  Lewis  says  of  this: 

"  We  are  taught  that  there  was  a  work  of  Christ  in  Hades.  He  descended 
into  Hades;  he  makes  proclamation  'ekeruxen'  in  Hades  to  those  who  are 
there  'in  ward.' " — tlailey,  Discrepancies  of  the  Bible,  p.  192. 

And  Alford  says: 

"  I  understand  these  words  to  say  that  our  Lord,  in  his  disembodied  state, 
did  go  to  the  place  of  detention  of  departed  spirits,  and  did  there  announce 
his  work  of  redemption,  preach  salvation  in  fact  to  the  disembodied  spirits 
of  those  who  refused  to  obey  the  voice  of  God  when  the  judgment  of  the 
flood  was  hanging  over  them." — Ibid. 

Prof.  Hindekoper  says  that: 

"  In  the  second  and  third  centures,  every  branch  and  division  of  the  Christian 
Church,  KO  far  as  their  records  enable  us  to  judge,  believed  that  Christ 
preached  to  the  departed." — Ibid. 

For  further  information  in  respect  to  the  spirits  of  the  wicked 
dead  being  "in  prison,"  we  refer  the  reader  to  Isaiah  24:  21-23; 
Zech.  9:  11;  Ezek.  32:  18,  21,  23,  27,  31,  32.  In  harmony  with 
these  texts  is  the  saying  of  the  Psalmist,  "The  wicked  shall  be 
turned  into  hell,  and  all  the  nations  that  forget  God." — 9:  17.  It 
will  not  do  to  say  that  hell  is  simply  the  grave,  as  some  do;  for 
that  would  rob  the  passage  of  its  significance,  Being  "turned  into 
hell,"  is  threatened  as  a  terrible  punishment;  but  decent  burial  in 
the  grave  is,  by  the  righteous,  esteemed  a  blessing.  That  the  souls 
of  the  wicked,  at  death,  go  to  "hell"  or  the  "prison,"  is  clearly 
taught  by  the  Savior: 

"But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear:  Fear  him,  which  after  he 
hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  fear  him."— 
Luke  12 :  5. 

Again: 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  beggar  died,  and  was  carried  by  the  angels 
into  Abraham's  bosom  [presence,  society] :  the  rich  man  also  died,  and  was 
buried ;  and  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and  seeth  Abra- 
ham, afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom" — Luke  16 :  22,  23. 

In  this  the  entity  of  the  spirit,  and  its  active,  and  intense  con- 
sciousness after  its  separation  from  the  body,  is  made  as  plain  as 
language  can  make  it, 

To  illustrate  and  further  confirm  the  grounds  we  have  taken,  we 
appeal  to  history.  Josephus  relates  of  Moses,  that  in  his  last  ad- 
dress to  his  people  he  said: 

"  When  souls  are  about  to  leave  the  body,  they  speak  with  the  sincerest  free- 
dom."—Ant.  B.  4,  ch.  8. 

It  may  be  well  to  here  remark  that  Josephus  often  quotes,  from 


ABRAHAM'S  BOSOM.  1 1 7 

Moses  and  the  prophets,  such  passages  as  we  have  not  in  the  Bible. 
In  his  discourse  concerning  Hades — the  state  of  the  dead — he  says 
that  the  souls  of  the  just  dwell  in  a  peaceful,  delightful  region, 
where  "the  countenance  of  the  fathers,  and  of  the  just,  which  they 
see,  always  smiles  upon  them,  while  they  wait  for  that  rest  and 
eternal  new  life  in  heaven  which  is  to  succeed  this  region.  This 
place  we  call  The  Bosom  of  Abraham."  This  makes  it  plain  that 
the  Jews  believed  in  the  conscious  condition  of  the  spirit  after 
death;  and  it  enables  us  to  see  why  Jesus  used  the  term  "Abraham's 
bosom."  The  people  to  whom  he  was  speaking  were  familiar  with 
that  term,  they  knew  its  meaning,  hence  it  was  suitable  in  describ- 
ing the  condition  of  righteous  Lazarus  and  the  righteous  dead. 

The  Christians  of  the  first  three  centuries  believed  the  doctrine 
we  advocate.  St.  Clement,  in  his  first  epistle  to  the  Corinthians, 
says : 

"Peter,  by  unjust  envy,  underwent,  not  one  or  two,  but  many  sufferings; 
till  at  last,  being  martyred,  he  went  to  the  place  of  glory  that  was 'due  to  him. 
For  the  s  ime  cause  did  Paul  in  like  manner  receive  the  reward  of  his  pa- 
tience. Seven  times  he  was  in  bonds;  he  was  whipped,  was  stoned;  he 
preached  both  in  the  east  and  in  the  west,  leaving  behind  him  the  glorious 
report  of  his  faith;  and  so  having  taught  the  whole  world  righteousness, 
and  for  that  end  traveled  even  to  the  utmost  bounds  of  the  west,  he  at  last 
suffered  martyrdom,  by  the  command  of  the  governors,  and  departed  out  of 
the  world,  and  went  unto  his  holy  place" — Apostolic  Fathers,  Wake's  Trans  p.  60. 

Comment  here  is  needless. 

Of  the  martyrdom  of  St.  Ignatius,  who,  it  is  claimed,  succeeded 
the  Apostle  Peter  at  Antioch,  it  is  said  in  an  epistle  from  the 
Church  at  Smyrna,  where  he  suffered: 

"  Wherefore,  with  much  readiness  and  joy,  he  left  Antioch  and  came  to> 
Selucia ;  from  thence  he  was  to  sail.  And  after  a  great  deal  of  toil,  being 
come  to  Smyrna,  he  left  the  ship  with  great  gladness  and  hastened  to  see 
the  holy  Polycarp,  his  fellow  scholar,  who  was  bishop  there ;  for  they  had 
both  of  them  been  formerly  the  disciples  of  St.  John.  Being  brought  to 
him,  and  communicating  to  him  some  spiritual  gifts,  and  glorying  in  his- 
bonds,  he  entreated,  first  of  all,  the  whole  Church,  (for  the  churches  and 
cities  of  Asia  attended  this  holy  man  by  their  bishops,  and  priests,  and 
deacons,  all  hastening  to  him,  if  by  any  means  they  might  receive  some  part 
of  his  spiritual  gift),  but  more  particularly  Polycarp,  to  contend  with  God  in 
his  behalf,  that  being  suddenly  taken  by  the  beasts  from  the  world,  he  might 
appear  before  the  face  of  Christ."— Apostolic  Fathers,  p.  179. 

And  now  in  regard  to  the  martyrdom  of  Polycarp  (the  one  allud- 
ed to,  historians  assert,  in  Rev.  2:  10),  and  others  with  him: 

"  Wherefore  being  supported  by  the  grace  of  Christ,  they  despised  all  the 
torments  of  the  world ;  by  the  suffering  of  an  hour  redeeming  themselves 
from  everlasting  punishment.  For  this  cause,  even  the  fire  of  their  cruel  and 
barbarous  executioners  seemed  cold  to  them,  whilst  they  hopod  thereby  to 
escape  that  fire  which  is  eternal,  and  shall  never  be  extinguished,  and 'be- 


118  SOUL-SLEEPERS. 

held,  with  the  eyes  of  faith,  those  good  things  which  are  reserved  for  them 
that  endure  to  the  end,  'which  neither  ear  has  heard,  nor  eye  seen,  nor  have 
they  entered  into  the  heart  of  man.'  But  to  them  they  were  now  revealed 
by  the  Lord ;  as  being  no  longer  men,  but  already  become  angels." — p.  193. 

Eusebius,  in  giving  an  account  of  the  martyrdom  of  Lucius,  re- 
presents him  as  saying  to  his  judge: 

"  I  thank  thee,  for  now  I  am  liberated  from  wicked  masters,  and  am  going 
to  the  good  Father  and  King,  even  God." — Eusebius'  Ecclesiastical  History^ 
ch.  17. 

Dionysius,  Bishop  of  Alexandria,  in  the  third  century,  says  of 
the  Christian  martyrs: 

"  But  these  same  martyrs,  who  are  now  sitting  with  Christ,  and  are  the 
sharers  in  his  kingdom,"  etc.,  etc. —  Vide  ch.  42. 

Space  would  fail  to  give  all  the  testimonies  of  the  early  fath- 
ers which  sustain  the  Bible  doctrine  of  the  conscious  condition  of 
the  spirits  of  the  dead.  But  we  must  not  dismiss  Eusebius  until 
we  present  his  testimony  concerning  the  "soul-sleeping"  heretics  of 
those  early  days.  He  says,  ch.  37. 

"  But  about  this  time  [A.D.  244],  also,  other  men  sprung  up  in  Arabia  as 
the  propagators  of  false  opinions.  They  asserted  that  the  human  soul,  as  long 
as  the  present  state  of  the  world  existed,  perished  at  death  and  died  with  the 
body,  but  that  it  would  be  raised  again  with  the  body  at  the  time  of  the  re- 
surrection." 

This  is,  identically,  the  theory  of  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his  fellows. 
Through  the  means  of  a  large  council,  headed  by  Origen,  these 
heretics  were  prevailed  upon  to  abandon  their  "false  opinions." 

We  must  not  omit  to  quote  the  testimony  of  another  one  from 
among  the  "cloud  of  witnesses"  furnished  us  by  the  primitive 
Christians.  Tertullian,  that  learned  advocate  and  unflinching  de- 
fender of  the  faith  of  the  early  Christians,  in  his  book,  De  Anima^ 
says: 

"  We  had  a  right,  after  what  was  said  by  St.  John,  to  expect  prophesyings ; 
and  we  not  only  acknowledge  these  spiritual  gifts,  but  we  are  permitted  to 
enjoy  the  gifts  of  a  prophetess.  There  is  a  sister  amongst  us  who  possesses 
the  faculty  of  revelation.  jShe  commonly,  during  our  religious  services  on 
the  Sabbath,  falls  into  a  crisis  or  trance.  She  has  then  intercourse  with  the 
angels,  sees  sometimes  the  Lord  himself;  sees  and  hears  divine  mysteries, 
and  discovers  the  hearts  of  some  persons  ;  and  administers  medicine  to  such 
as  desire  it;  and  when  the  Scriptures  are  read,  or  psalms  are  being  sung,  or 
prayers  are  being  offered  up,  subjects  from  thence  are  ministered  to 
her  vision.  We  were  speaking  of  the  soul  once  when  our  sister  wras  in  the 
spirit — I  do  not  recollect  exactly  what.  After  the  service  she  allowed  the 
rest  of  the  people  to  go  away,  as  she  always  did  on  such  occasions,  and  then 
communicated  to  us  what  she  had  seen  in  her  ecstacy,  which  was  then  more 
closely  inquired  into  and  tested.  She  informed  us  that  she  had  seen  a  soul 
in  a  bodily  shape;  that  it  appeared  to  be  a  spirit ;  but  not  empty  and  form- 


SPIRIT  ENTITY.  119 

less  and  wanting  a  living  constitution ;  but  that  its  form  appeared  so  sub- 
stantial that  you  might  touch  or  hold  it.  It  was  tender,  [delicate],  shining, 
of  the  color  of  the  air,  but  in  everything  resembling  the  human  form" — Hist. 
Supernatural,  vol  1,  p.  443. 

Tertullian,  and  also  Ireneus,  flourished  in  the  second  century; 
the  latter  being  "a  disciple  of  Polycarp."  Their  testimony  is  con- 
clusive that  the  early  Christians  believed  that  man's  spirit  was 
actively  conscious  after  death;  also  that  the  spirit  had  real  sub- 
stance, and  was  in  the  general  form  of  the  body  of  man.  When 
we  consider  that  air,  light,  electricity,  magnetism,  etc.,  are  real 
substances,  and  yet  some  of  them  impalpable,  and  others  imper- 
ceptible to  the  natural  sight,  we  may  not  doubt  that  spirits  have 
substantial  existence  though  they  be  not  apparent  always  to  our 
natural  vision. 

Doubtless  all  the  enlightened  primitive  Christians  believed  as 
did  Tertullian,  Ireneus,  Polycarp,  Lucius,  St.  Ignatius,  and  other 
faithful  ones  of  their  times,  that  the  soul  of  man  possessed  con- 
sciousness after  departing  from  the  body,  and  that  it  was  in  the 
form  of  the  human  body;  for  we  find  that  the  disciples  mistook 
Jesus  in  the  obscurity  of  night  for  a  spirit: 

"  And  about  the  fourth  watch  of  the  night  he  cometh  unto  them,  walking 
upon  the  sea,  and  would  have  passed  them.  But  when  they  saw  him  walk- 
in  upon  the  sea,  they  supposed  it  had  been  a  spirit,  [spectre]  and  cried  out." 
—Mark  6:  48,  49. 

Again,  when  Jesus  was  resurrected  from  the  dead  he  appeared, 
unannounced,  to  his  disciples  who  were  assembled  in  an  upper 
room  that  was  evidently  but  very  dimly  lighted,  and — 

"They  were  terrified  and  affrighted,  antl  supposed  that  they  had  seen  a 
spirit,  [spectre]."— Luke  24:  37. 

This  took  place  after  they  had  been  under  the  teaching  of  Jesus 
for  at  least  three  years  and  a  half;  and  it  can  not  be  claimed  that 
the  disciples  were  ignorant  and  superstitious  in  respect  to  the  ex- 
istence and  form  of  spirits,  for  those  were  topics  about  which  the 
Pharisees  and  Sadducees  were  at  direct  issue,  and  were  likely  often 
discussed,  and  about  which  the  disciples  could  but  feel  deep  inter- 
est as  they  were  so  intimately  related  to  their  mission — preaching 
the  gospel  of  salvation  to  all  men.  They  believed  in  the  fact  of 
spirits,  and  that  they  existed  in  the  form  of  man,  otherwise  they 
would  not  have  taken  the  living  Jesus  to  be  a  spirit.  Jesus  then 
instructed  them  somewhat  in  regard  to  spirits  when  he  said: 

•"  A  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones  as  ye  see  me  have." — .v  39. 
The  fact  of  spirits  existing,  and  in  the  human  form,  is  here  ad- 


120  SPIRIT,  CONSCIOUS. 

mitted   by  Jesus;  but  they  did  not  possess,  he  said,  a  body,  or 
"tabernacle,"  of  flesh  and  bones. 

We  can  not  better  close  this  part  of  our  subject  than  by  con- 
sidering a  portion  of  the  revelation  of  St.  John.  When  on  the  Isle 
of  Patmos,  he  was  shown  a  series  of  remarkable  events  touching 
the  interests  of  the  church,  and  among  them  the  overthrow  of 
"Babylon  the  Great,  the  Mother  of  Harlots  and  Abominations  of 
the  Earth."  Prior  to  her  complete  destruction,  and  before  the  re- 
surrection of  the  righteous  dead,  the  following  occurs: 

"Rejoice  over  her,  thou  heaven,  and  ye  holy  apostles  and  prophets:  for 
God  hath  avenged  you  on  her.  And  a  mighty  angel  took  up  a  stone  like  a 
great  mill-stone,  and  cast  it  into  the  sea,  saying,  Thus  with  violence  shall 
that  great  city  Babylon  be  thrown  down,  and  shall  be  found  no  more  at  all." 
—Rev.  18  :  21,  22. 

Here  we  see  that  "heaven,"  and  "holy  apostles  and  prophets'* 
were  called  upon  to  "rejoice  over  her;"  and  in  the  opening  verses 
of  the  next  chapter  we  get  their  response: 

"And  after  these  things  I  heard  a  great  voice  of  much  people  in  heaven,  say- 
ing, Alleluia:  Salvation,  and  glory,  and  honor,  and  power,  unto  the  Lord 
our  God:  for  true  and  righteous  are  his  judgments;  for  he  hath  judged  the 
great  whore,  which  did  corrupt  the  earth  witn  her  fornication,  and  hath 
avenged  the  blood  of  his  servants  at  her  hand." — 19:  1,  2. 

To  this  may  be  added  Rev.  5:  6-10  and  7:  9, 10.  But  the  follow- 
ing is  conclusive: 

"  And  when  he  had  opened  the  fifth  seal,  I  saw  under  the  altar  the  souls 
of  them  that  were  slain  for  the  word  of  God,  and  for  the  testimony  which 
they  held:  and  they  cried  with  a  loud  voice,  saying,  How  long,  0  Lord,  holy 
and  true,  dost  thou  not  judge  and  avenge  our  blood  on  them  that  dwell  on 
the  earth?  And  white  robes  were  given  unto  every  one  of  them:  and  it 
was  said  unto  them,  that  they  should  rest  yet  for  a  little  season,  until  their 
fellow  servants  also  and  their  brethren,  that  should  be  killed  as  they  were, 
should  be  fulfilled."— Rev.  6:  9-11. 

Now,  from  what  we  have  seen  in  the  instinctive  sentiment  of  the 
race,  in  the  experiences  of  life,  in  the  teachings  of  philosophy,  in 
the  revelations  of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  as  also  in  the 
testimonies  of  the  Jewish  historian  and  the  early  Christians  and 
martyrs,  we  are  by  these  evidences,  great  in  amount  and  unim- 
peachable in  character,  fully  warranted  in  concluding  that  the  soul 
of  man,  after  it  leaves  the  body,  is  intensely  and  actively  conscious 
and  capable;  and  that  the  doctrine  of  the  death  of  the  soul  with 
the  body,  or  the  sleep  of  the  soul  with  the  body  at  death,  is  a  hurt- 
ful and  contemptible  heresy. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  to  establish  his  soul-sleeping  theory,  distorts  and 
perverts  the  Scriptures  in  a  manner  that  clearly  evinces  the  badness 
of  his  case.  We  will  give  a  few  instances: 


SPIRIT  CONDITIONS.  121 

"The  living  know  that  they  must  die ;  but  the  dead  know  not  anything." 

This,  clearly,  has  no  reference  to  the  spirit,  or  the  soul  of  man, 
but  to  the  man,  composed  of  body  and  soul.  The  man  proper  be- 
ing dead — his  body  gone  to  the  grave,  and  his  spirit  to  God — being 
disorganized,  could  not  know  anything.  We  might  as  well  expect 
life  and  activity  in  a  grain  of  wheat  that  has  fallen  in  the  ground 
and  died.  The  life  that  was  once  in  such  a  grain  is  now  separated 
from  it,  and  passed  into  other  conditions;  therefore  that  particular 
grain  is  dead,  and  lifeless,  but  the  life  that  was  once  in  it  is  still  in 
existence  and  active. 

"David,"  says  Mr.  Sheldon,  "affirms  of  the  dying  man:  'In  that 
very  day  his  thoughts  perish.' " 

Very  good;  a  man's  thoughts  may  perish  in  many  ways,  and  yet 
he  retain  his  power  to  think.  But  this  quotation  should  be  under- 
stood as  relating  to  a  living  man  who  dies — that  man  as  a  com- 
pound being,  body  and  spirit,  no  longer  thinks,  or  acts,  and  for  the 
best  of  reasons,  because  death  has  separated  his  spirit  from  his 
body.  But  the  text  does  not  intimate  but  that  the  soul  of  that 
man  may  think  and  act.  Again  he  quotes: 

"  The  dead  praise  not  the  Lord,  neither  any  that  go  down  into  silence." — 
Ps.  115:  17. 

This  clearly  relates  to  the  dead  body,  that  which  goes  down  to 
the  dust,  and  not  to  "the  spirit  of  man  that  goeth  upward." — Eccl. 
3:  21.  Again: 

"In  death  there  is  no  remembrance  of  thee." — Ps.  6:  5. 

If  Mr.  Sheldon  had  given  the  context  it  would  have  explained 
at  once  the  meaning  of  what  he  did  quote.  I  will  give  it: — "In 
the  grave  who  shall  give  thee  thanks."  This  completes  the  verse, 
and  the  sentence,  and  enables  us  to  better  understand  the  text. 
This  text  relates  to  the  body,  and  not  to  the  soul,  evidently. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  quotes  the  words  of  Job  14:  21. 

"His  [the  dead  man's]  sons  come  to  honor,  and  he  knoweth  it  not;  and 
they  are  brought  low<  and  he  perceiveth  it  not  of  them." 

This,  like  the  first  texts  considered,  can  not  be  made  to  relate  to 
the  spirit  of  man  which  goes  to  God  at  death,  but  it  was  doubtless 
intended  to  apply  to  that  part  of  man  which  goes  to  the  grave. 
And  as  for  Job,  his  teachings  between  the  beginning  of  his  afflic- 
tions and  their  close,  as  also  those  of  the  "three  miserable  com- 
forters" whose  words  are  so  often  quoted  by  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his 
co-religionists,  we  do  not  accept  them  in  the  discussion  of  doctrine. 
Those  teachings  may  contain  some  truths,  but  as  a  whole  they  are 
not  authoritative.  Elihu,  who  was  sent  of  God  to  Job,  says  of 


122  SPIRIT— SHEOL. 

him,  (34:  35),  "Job  hath  spoken  without  knowledge  and  his  words 
^re  without  wisdom,"  and  "he   [Job]    multiplieth  words  without 
knowledge,"  (35:  16).     And  the  Lord  says  of  Job,  "Who  is  this 
that  darkeneth  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge."  (38:  2). 
Mr.  Sheldon  next  quotes: 

"  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were  in  it ;  and  hell  [hades — the 
state  of  the  dead]  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them  ;  and  they  were 
judged  every  man  according  to  their  works." — Rev.  20:  13. 

But  where  is  "death,"  Mr.  Sheldon!  You  have  left  that  out. 
We  do  not  say  you  did  it  intentionally;  yet  the  passage  as  you  quote 
it  is  much  better  suited  to  your  theory  and  looks  suspicious.  John 
says,  "death  and  hell  delivered  up  the  dead  which  were  in  them" 
Here  is  a  delivery  of  the  dead  from  two  places.  Plato,  the  learned 
Greek,  tells  us  that  hell — hades — is  "the  world  of  spirits,"  (Plato, 
by  Pond,  p.  125).  As  Hades  is  a  Greek  word,  the  profound  Plato 
has  no  doubt  given  us  its  true  signification. 

William  Smith  in  his  Diet.  Bible,  says: 

"The  word  sheol  [Hebrew]  is  never  used  of  the  grave  proper,  or  place  of 
burial  of  the  body.  It  is  always  the  abode  of  spirits,  LIKE  THE  GREEK  HADES." 
— Note  on  Hell. 

This  being  true,  when  "hell  delivers  up  the  dead  which  were  in" 
it,  it  delivers  up  its  "spirits."  And  this  makes  it  conclusive  that 
"death"  here  means  the  grave  or  other  repositories  of  the  bodies 
of  the  dead.  This  renders  the  text  plain  to  the  comprehension. 

This  second  (and  last  resurrection)  is  clearly  that  of  "the  unjust;" 
for  this  is  after  the  "thousand  years,"  (vs.  3,  5,  7),  while  that  of  the 
righteous  takes  place  at  the  beginning  of  "the  thousand  years." 
(vs.  4,  5).  So  that  the  spirits,  that  hell  then  delivers  up,  are  the 
spirits  of  the  wicked  dead,  "and  they  were  judged  every  man  ac- 
cording to  their  works"  It  is  noteworthy  that  this  judgment  does 
not  take  place  till  after  "the  thousand  years  were  finished,"  (verse 
5),  and  until  after  Satan,  "loosed  out  of  his  prison,"  (verse  7), 
'"shall  go  out  to  deceive  the  nations,"  and  shall  have  "compassed 
the  camp  of  the  Saints  about,  and  the  beloved  city,"  (verses  8,  9), 
and  until  he  and  his  are  destroyed. — verse  10.  It  is  after  these 
events  that  "death  and  hell"  deliver  up  their  dead  and  they  are 
judged. 

Mr.  Sheldon  asserts  that — 

"Peter,  an  eye  witness  of  the  scene,  [Matt.  17:  1-13],  did  not  think  that 
Moses  spirit  was  there,  [on  the  mount  with  Christ],  but  Moses  himself,  else 
he  would  not  have  proposed  to  build  a  tabernacle  for  Moses,  for  he  was  not 
foolish  enough  to  talk  of  building  a  tabernacle  for  a  spectre." 

The  disciples,  we  have  before  seen,  thought  the  resurrected  Jesus 


ELI  AS.  123 

was  "a  spirit,"  and  it  was  possible  for  Peter  to  have  mistaken  the 
spirit  of  Moses,  for  Moses  in  the  flesh.  Yet  we  do  not  believe  he 
was  deceived  at  all,  but  knew  that  the  spirit  of  Moses  was  present. 
Peter  had  more  experience  in  spiritual  things  than  Mr.  Sheldon, 
and  held  entirely  different  views  in  respect  to  the  existence,  form, 
power,  and  ministrations  of  spirits.  The  dead  body  of  Lazarus 
was  called  Lazarus,  and  such  usage  was  and  is  common;  and  why 
not  the  spirit  of  Moses  be  recognized  as  Moses  and  called  Moses? 
Surely,  the  intellectual  man  is  more  worthy  to  retain  the  name  than 
the  dead  body;  yet  either  may  do  so. 

Now  Moses'  spirit  did,  evidently,  appear  with  Elias'  (or  John 
the  Baptist's)  spirit,  on  the  mount,  and  minister  to  Jesus.  That 
this  "Elias"  was  John  the  Baptist  is  seen  by  reading  the  tenth  to 
the  thirteenth  verses,  inclusive,  of  Matthew  seventeenth  chapter. 
After  they  had  seen  the  vision, 

"  His  disciples  asked  him,  saying,  Why  then  say  the  scribes  that  Elias 
must  first  come?  And  Jesus  answered  and  said  unto  them,  Elias  truly  shall 
first  come  and  restore  all  things.  But  I  say  unto  you,  That  Elias  is  come  al- 
ready, and  they  knew  him  not,  but  have  done  unto  him  whatsoever  they  listed, 
[had  beheaded  him].  Likewise  shall  also  the  Son  of  Man  suffer  of  them. 
Then  the  disciples  understood  that  he  spake  unto  them  of  John  the  Baptist. 

This  forever  settles  the  matter,  that  the  Elias  who  appeared  with 
Moses  on  the  mount  to  Christ  and  his  three  disciples,  was  none 
other  than  John  the  Baptist,  who  had  been  beheaded  but  a  few 
months  before.  It  was  fitting,  upon  this  august  occasion,  that  the 
two  priesthoods,  Melchizedek  and  Aaronic,  should  be  represented 
by  Moses  and  John  the  Baptist.  Moses  had  been  dead  for  near 
1500  years,  and  John  the  Baptist  for  but  a  few  months;  the  resur- 
rection had  not  yet  occurred,  therefore  it  was  the  spirits  of  these 
servants  of  God  who  now  appear  in  light  and  glory  and  minister. 
Here  were  "spirits  of  just  men  made  perfect,"  of  whom  Paul  speaks, 
Heb.  12:  23. 

But  Mr.  Sheldon  says  this  was  "a  vision."  If  he  intends  by  this 
to  say  that  it  was  not  real,  but  merely  a  trance,  then  he  clearly 
perverts  the  sense  of  the  text.  Peter  declares  of  this  occurrence: 

"We  have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables  when  we  made  known 
Tin  to  you  the  power  and  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  but  were  eye- 
witnesses of  his  majesty.  For  he  received  from  God  the  Father  honor  and 
glory ;  when  there  came  such  a  voice  to  him  from  the  excellent  glory,  This 
is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased.  And  this  voice  which  came 
from  heaven  we  heard,  when  we  were  with  him  in  the  holy  mount." — 2  Pet. 
1:16-18. 

It  was  a  vision,  it  is  true;  and  the  first  and  most  obvious  mean- 


124  JOHN  BAPTIST. 

ing  of  that  word  is  actual,  literal  sight.     In  this  vision  the  disciples 
saw  three  persons : 

"And,  behold,  there  talked  with  him  two  men,  which  were  Moses  and  Elias 
[John  the  Baptist]  ;  who  appeared  in  glory,  and  spake  of  his  decease  which 
he  should  accomplish  at  Jerusalem." — Luke  9:  30,  31. 

They  saw  Jesus  literally,  for  Jesus  was  there  personally  >  but  not 
more  so,  evidently,  than  was  Moses  and  Elias.  Now,  if  John  the 
Baptist  and  Moses,  in  their  spirit  state,  could  minister  on  the  mount 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago,  why  not  other  servants  of  God,  in 
their  spirit  state,  minister  to  and  for  Joseph  and  Oliver  in  this 
age?  Clearly  they  could;  but  like  Moses  and  Elias  they  could 
only  appear  "in  glory,"  which  they  did  do.  It  is  not  at  all  strange 
that  the  spirits  of  the  just  should,  on  very  extraordinary  occasions,, 
appear  "in  glory"  and  minister  to  men  in  the  flesh,  especially 
when  we  remember  that  they  are  members  of  "the  family"  of  God 
"in  heaven  and  earth,"  (Eph.  3:  15).  Paul  teaches  that  the  saints,, 
by  virtue  of  being  children  of  God,  (of  "the  family  in  heaven  and 
earth"),  are  brought  into  fellowship  with  all  that  pertains  to  that 
"family."  For  he  says: 

"  Ye  are  come  unto  Mount  Sion,  and  unto  the  city  of  the  living  God,  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem,  and  unto  an  innumerable  company  of  angels,  to  the 
general  assembly  and  church  of  the  first-born,  which  are  written  in  heaven, 
and  to  God  the  judge  of  all,  and  to  the  SPIRITS  of  just  men  made  perfect." — 
Heb.  12 :  22,  23. 

John  Baptist  "was  &just  man  and  a  holy"  (Mark  6:  20).  Jesus 
commanded  his  saints  to  \>&  perfect ,  (Matt.  5:  48);  and  the  means 
for  making  ju*t  men  perfect  is  made  clear  in  2  Tim.  3:17,  Eph.  4: 
13,  Matt.  19:  21,  Col.  1:  27,  28,  etc.,  etc.  Just  men  are  made  per- 
fect by  gospel  means. 

The  physical  body  is  the  mortal  part  of  man;  the  spirit — soul — 
is  the  intellectual  life,  the  active  "inner  man."  The  latter  never 
dies  in  the  sense  of  ceasing  to  exist,  but  the  body  does.  Salvation 
through  Christ,  by  the  resurrection,  secures  immortality  to  the 
body;  hence  Paul  says: 

"This  corruptible  [body]  mustputonincorruption,  and  this  mortal  [body} 
must  put  on  immortality." — 1  Cor.  15:  53. 

Thus  making  man,  the  compound  being  as  a  whole  immortal. 
The  natural  man  and  the  physical  body,  is  in  a  mortal  and  corrupt- 
ible condition;  but  in  the  resurrection,  the  body,  the  man  as  a 
whole,  will  put  on  the  eternal  condition,  becoming  immortal  and 
incorruptible. 

Our   soul-sleeping    opponents   often   quote    1   Tim.  6:  15,  16,  to 


WHO  ONLY  HATH  IMMORTALITY.  125 

prove  that  the  spirit  of  man  is   not  immortal  before  or  after  the 
physical  death — dissolution  of  man.     It  reads: 

"Which  in  his  times  he  [Christ  Jesus]  shall  shew,  who  is  the  blessed  and 
only  Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords;  who  only  hath  immor- 
tality, dwelling  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto;  whom  no 
man  hath  seen  nor  can  see." 

If  this  translation  were  correct,  which  it  evidently  is  not,  it 
ivould  simply  prove  that  Christ,  "only,"  had  immortality  to  bestow 
upon  others — that  he  "only,"  as  the  resurrected  Christ,  could  give 
immortality  to  others.  For,  to  say  that  He  "only"  possessed  im- 
mortality, would  be  to  deny  the  same  to  his  Father,  the  angels,  the 
seraphim,  the  cherubim,  and  those  saints  resurrected  with  Christ, 
mentioned  in  Matthew  27:  52,  53.  This  construction,  (forced  by 
the  soul-sleeper),  does  violence  to  the  plain  teachings  of  the  Scrip- 
tures by  making  Christ,  "only,"  the  possessor  of  immortality,  both 
in  spirit  and  in  body.  It  is  not  a  fact  of  Scripture,  properly  in- 
terpreted, that  the  Lord  Jesus  "only  hath  immortality"  in  the 
sense  claimed  by  the  soul-sleepers;  and  it  is  not  scripturally  true 
that  "no  man  can  approach  unto"  "the  light"  in  which  Christ 
dwells,  in  the  sense  which  soul-sleepers  teach;  neither  is  it  true 
that  "no  man  hath  seen  nor  can  see"  Christ  Jesus, — all  of  which 
the  text  teaches  as  interpreted  and  applied  by  soul-sleepers.  The 
text  in  its  corrected  form,  found  in  the  Inspired  Translation,  reads: 

"  Which  in  his  times  he  [Christ]  shall  show,  who  is  the  blessed  and  only 
Potentate,  the  King  of  kings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  to  whom  be  honor  and 
power  everlasting;  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see,  unto  whom  no 
man  can  approach,  only  he  who  hath  the  light  and  the  hope  of  immortality 
dwelling  in  him." 

This  translation  harmonizes  the  text  with  the  other  Scriptures 
on  the  points  involved,  and  is  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  general 
tenor  of  the  Bible  throughout. 

"PLAINER    TRANSLATION." 

Mr.  Sheldon  contemns  the  claim  of  Joseph  where  he  says  (D.C. 
110:  18)  that  he  could  give  "a  plainer  translation"  of  Mai.  4:  5,  6, 
than  that  found  in  the  common  version  (and  Inspired  Translation). 
He  says  Joseph  in  this  repudiates  his  own  translation.  We  have 
to  remind  Mr.  Sheldon  again,  that  Joseph  did  not  profess  to  trans- 
late, revise,  or  correct  every  part  of  the  Bible;  and  this  is  one 
among  many  passages  that  he  did  not  translate.  Might  not  a 
translator  give  "a  plainer  translation"  of  a  passage — giving  it  in 
simpler  terms,  terms  easier  of  comprehension  for  inexperienced  and 
uncultured  minds — and  yet  give  an  equally  true  translation?  We 
think  so;  and  we  think  this  was  substantially  what  Joseph  meant. 


126  TEMPLE  LIKE  SOLOMON'S. 


CHAPTER     VI. 

Mr.  Sheldon  quarrels  with  Joseph  and  the  Book  of  Mormon,  be- 
cause the  latter  says  that  the  Nephites,  within  thirty  years  after 
they  left  Jerusalem,  appointed  Nephi  their  king,  and  also  built  "a 
temple  like  unto  Solomon's;"  and  this,  too,  when  Laman  and  some 
others  were  separated  from  them.  Among  the  first  needs  of  so- 
ciety is  that  of  government — ruling  authority — and  what  is  more 
natural  than  that  these  Israelites,  few  in  number  though  they 
were,  should  seek  to  establish  the  form  of  government  peculiar  to 
their  nation,  and  the  then  existing  nations  of  earth?  Nothing 
could  be  more  reasonable.  The  fewness  of  their  numbers  argues 
nothing.  Many  governments,  ancient  and  modern,  have  been 
founded  with  but  a  few  persons.  Rome,  that  great  nation  which 
conquered  the  whole  known  world,  was  founded  by  Romulus,  B.C. 
753,  and  the  few  who  were  with  him  in  his  "small  castle  on  the 
summit  of  Mount  Palatine." 

In  respect  to  the  "temple,"  nothing  could  be  more  natural  and 
likely,  than  for  these  zealous  religionists  to  desire,  and  to  build  at 
the  earliest  practicable  moment  possible,  a  suitable  house  for  pub- 
lic worship.  And  nothing  could  be  more  likely  than  for  them  to 
build  such  a  house  "after  the  manner  of  the  temple  of  Solomon." 
They  knew  of  the  temple  of  Solomon — its  grand  historic  associa- 
tions— they  remembered  it  with  reverent  pride  as  the  place  where 
they  had  worshiped  the  God  of  their  fathers,  and  what  is  more 
natural  and  likely,  than  for  them  to  build  their  first  house  of  wor- 
ship, though  it  might  be  very  small,  and  very  rude  in  comparison, 
after  the  form,  pattern,  or  "manner"  of  the  venerated  temple  of 
Solomon?  Onias,  and  the  captive  Jews  in  Egypt,  "built  [in  the 
city  of  Heliopolis]  a  temple  and  an  altar  to  God,  like  indeed  to  that 
in  Jerusalem,  but  smaller  and  poorer.  *  *  *  Onias  found  other 
Jews  like  to  himself,  together  with  priests  and  Levites,  that  there 
performed  divine  service." — Josephus,  Antiquities,  B.  13,  ch.  3. 
And  they  claimed  to  do  this  in  fulfillment  of  a  prophecy  of 
Isaiah: — 

"  In  that  day  there  shall  be  an  altar  to  the  Lord  in  the  midst  of  the  land 
of  Egypt,  and  a  pillar  at  the  border  thereof  to  the  Lord.  And  it  shall  be  for 
a  sign  and  for  a  witness  unto  the  Lord  of  hosts  in  the  land  of  Egypt." — Isa. 
19 :  19,  20. 

These  captive  Jews,  and  the  Nephites,  were  doubtless  actuated 
by  similar  impulses  and  prompted  by  similar  motives.  But  Mr. 


TEMPLE  BUILDEES. 

Sheldon  says  it  was  an  "enormous  temple,"  a  "mighty  temple,"  a, 
temple  of  "huge  dimensions," — and  his  statements  here  are  jnst  as 
false  as  we  have  found  them  in  scores  of  other  places.  Nothing  is 
said,  or  intimated  as  to  the  size  of  the  temple,  but  only  as  to  "the 
manner,"  fashion,  or  model  of  its  construction.  "The  manner  of 
the  construction"  of  it  "was  like  unto  the  temple  of  Solomon;  and 
the  workmanship  thereof  was  exceeding  fine." — 2  Nephi  4:  3. 
Again : 

"  And  I  did  construct  it  after  the  manner  of  the  temple  of  Solomon,  save 
it  were  not  built  of  so  many  precious  things ;  for  they  were  not  to  be  found 
upon  the  land." — Idem. 

Mr.  Sheldon  avers  that  there  could  have  been  "a  working  force 
of  only  eighteen  men  and  boys  to  build  that  mighty  temple."  Let 
us  see.  There  were  four  families  that  went  out  in  the  exodus  of 
Lehi,  viz: 

Lehi,  wife  and  four  sons — total 6 

Ishmael,  wife  and  five  daughters — total 7 

Ishmael's  two  sons  "and  their  families" — probable  total.  12 
Zoram,  Laban's  servant 1 

Making  in  all 26 

Zoram,  and  the  four  sons  of  Lehi  marry  the  five  daughters  of 
Ishmael,  giving  us  nine  families  in  all,  seven  of  whom  are  young 
families.  Lehi,  soon  after  leaving  Jerusalem,  has  two  sons  born  to 
him  (1  Nephi  5:  36),  and  after  this  some  daughters  (2  Nephi  4:  2). 
It  is  not  improbable  that  Ishmael  had  children  born  to  him  after 
leaving  Jerusalem,  but  of  this  we  shall  not  conjecture. 

The  increase  of  this  company  would  naturally  be  very  rapid;  (1) 
because  seven  of  the  families  were  young,  five  of  them  very  young; 

(2)  because  their  plain,  rural  living,  would  conduce  to  fecundity; 

(3)  because  the  people  of  those  eastern  countries  and  warm  climates, 
married  young  and  reproduced  abundantly;  and,  (4)  because  the 
Israelites  took  pride,  and  religious  care  in  being  fruitful  in  family 
increase.     Marriage  in  those  warm  climates  took  place  at  as  early 
even  as  ten  years  with  females,  and  fourteen  with  males, — a  fair 
average   would   likely  be    sixteen  with   females,  and   twenty  with 
males.     It  would  probably  be  less,  especially  with  this  company  of 
Israelites,  as  all  their  surrounding  conditions  would  invite  early 
marriages.     Malthus  claims  that  one  hundred  per  cent,  is  the  na- 
tural average  increase  of  the  race,  (except  in  times  of  war,  famine, 
or  pestilence)  for  every  twenty-five  years,     But  that  is  where  com- 
munities are  made  up  of  all  ages  from  the  infant  to  the  aged.  The 
increase  of  these  Nephites  should  not  be  judged  by  such  a  stand- 


128  TEMPLE  BUILDERS. 

ard,  for  their  situation  in  respect  to  age,  and  manner  of  life,  favor- 
ed their  rapid  and  large  increase. 

The  four  sons  of  Lehi  would  easily  number,  themselves  and  their 
children,  in  thirty  years,  exclusive  of  deaths,  48  persons;  the  two 
sons  of  Ishmael,  themselves  included,  24  persons;  Zoram  and  fam- 
ily, 12  persons;  Lehi's  two  sons,  Joseph  and  Jacob,  and  wives, 
(marrying  at  eighteen  years  of  age),  for  twelve  and  ten  years,  15; 
total  99.  The  seventy  children  of  the  first  sons  of  Lehi,  Ish- 
mael's  sons,  and  Zoram,  would  give  us  in  eighteen  years  after  the 
exodus  seven  new  families;  in  20  years,  3;  in  22,  4;  in  24,  3;  in 
26,  4;  in  28,  3;  in  30,  4;  or  28  families  in  all  in  that  time;  and  the 
children  of  these  families — for  the  first  7,  35;  the  3,  12;  the  4,  12; 
the  3,  9;  the  4,  8;  the  3,  6.  Total,  82.  To  this  add  like  increase 
for  the  probable  families  of  the  "sisters"  of  Nephi,  and  we  have  at 
least  twenty  more,  making  the  total  102.  And  to  this  add  the 
number  not  counted  of  the  children  and  heads  of  the  first  two,  and 
the  first  seven  families  103,  and  we  have  a  total  of  205  persons  in 
30  years  from  Lehi's  exodus,  less  Lehi  and  Ishmael,  who  died, 
leaving  203.  Now  if  one-fourth  of  this  number  were  separated 
from  Nephi  and  his  company  it  would  still  leave  150.  And  if  one- 
third  of  them  were  children  under  ten  years  of  age  it  would  leave 
us  100  persons,  or  more,  ten  years  of  age  and  upwards.  The  rate 
and  extent  of  increase  was  doubtless  much  greater  than  this.  Now 
for  a  body  of  people  like  this  to  organize  a  government,  in  a  simple 
way,  isolated  as  they  were,  is  perfectly  reasonable.  And  for  them, 
being  Israelites,  to  call  their  ruler  a  king,  would  be  perfectly  natu- 
ral. And  for  them  to  build  a  house  of  worship  after  "the  manner" 
of  Solomon's  temple,  is  just  what  we  might  expect  of  them.  And 
as  to  their  wars  and  contentions  with  the  Lamanites,  history  here 
repeats  itself  for  perhaps  the  thousandth  time.  And  that  this 
company  practiced  many  of  the  trades  of  civilization,  their  tastes 
and  early  experiences  would  lead  and  their  necessities  compel  them 
to  do  so.  There  is  nothing  more  natural  and  reasonable  than  all 
these  things,  except  to  the  ignorant  or  wilfully  perverse. 

In  controverting  his  next  subject,  that  of  the  reign  of  the  Jared- 
ite  kings  (Ether  1:  1),  Mr.  Sheldon  makes  no  less  than  four  false 
assertions.  He  states  (1)  that  there  were  but  "twenty-five  success- 
ive kings,"  yet  the  record  shows  there  were  twenty-nine;  the  first 
king  of  the  twenty-nine,  Orihah,  beginning  his  reign  after  the  long 
and  eventful  rule  of  the  brother  of  Jared.  This  last  with  the 
"twenty-nine,"  makes  the  number  thirty;  though  the  brother  of 
Jared  was  not  called  a  king.  See  Ether  1;  1;  4:  12  and  5:1.  He 


REIGN  OF  KINGS.  129 

states  (2),  that  "this  last  king  [Coriantumr]  was  still  alive  under 
the  reign  of  Mosiah  the  first,  about  400  years  after  Lehi  left  Jeru- 
salem— the  first  Mosiah,  who  was  visited  by  Coriantumr,  about  B. 
<D.  200."  Nothing  is  said  in  the  Book  of  Mormon,  or  intimated 
even  that  Coriantumr  visited  Mosiah,  or  that  Mosiah  saw  him. 
What  information  Mosiah  obtained  in  respect  to  Coriantumr  he 
interpreted  from  "a  large  stone"  tablet,  containing  hieroglyphics. 
—Omni  1:  9,  10.  He  states  (3)  that  there  was  "a  space  of  2,000 
years  occupied  by  the  reign  of  twenty-six  [Jaredite]  kings;"  yet 
the  record  claims  it  was  a  space  dating  from  some  time  after  the 
confusion  of  languages,  to  about  the  time  the  Nephites  and  Zara- 
hemlaites  came  from  Palestine  to  America — B.  C.  600 — a  period  of 
probably  not  more  than  1600  years,  making  an  average  of  53^  years 
for  each  of  the  thirty  who  bore  rule.  A  slight  error,  Mr.  Sheldon, 
of  400  years!  But  that  is  nothing  for  a  man  with  such  an  un- 
bounded stomach  for  crooked  things.  And  this  average,  fifty- 
three  years,  was  not  very  long,  considering  the  great  age  to  which 
people  lived  between  the  times  of  the  flood  and  the  time  of  Christ. 
The  longevity  of  this  people  is  constantly  affirmed  in  the  Book  of 
Ether,  as  also  the  protracted  reign  of  many  of  their  kings. 

It  is  affirmed  on  good  authority  (Dr.  Mussey,  in  "Health,  Its 
Friends  and  Its  Foes")  that  the  Arabians  of  these  modern  times 
even,  by  virtue  of  their  abstemious  habits,  and  simple  vegetable 
diet,  live  to  a  great  age — even  to  that  of  two  hundred  years,  in 
some  instances.  Goodrich,  in  his  " Universal  Traveller"  informs 
us  that  the  Peruvians  of  the  present  age  are  very  long  lived — at- 
taining, in  many  instances,  one  hundred  years  and  more,  and  that 
they  retain  their  teeth,  their  good  sight,  and  very  seldom  turn 
grey.  The  longevity  of  the  Jaredites,  a  people  living  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances,  could  not  have  been  other  than  very 
great. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  claims  that  those  who  should  occupy  the 
land  after  the  Jaredites,  would  not  do  so  till  after  the  Jaredites  were 
destroyed  (Ether  4:  12);  and  that  only  their  last  king  should  live 
to  see  the  people  who  should  succeed  them  (Ether  6:  2),  and  this 
was  fulfilled  w^hen  the  first  Zarahemlaites,  as  they  were  called, 
first  came,  from  Palestine  to  America  (Omni  1:  7,  9,  10)  about  B. 
C.  590  to  600.  Mr.  Sheldon  asserts,  in  effect,  (4)  that  Ether,  the 
last  Jaredite  prophet,  wrote  his  "record"  of  the  reign  of  the  kings 
on  the  same  plates  used  by  the  brother  of  Jared;  and  to  clinch  his 
statement  quotes:  "He  [Ether]  made  the  remainder  of  his  record." 
Now  "this  record"  was  simply  the  "record"  of  Ether — "the  book 
9 


130  PLAGIAEISM  CHARGED. 

of  Ether"  (Ether  1:1).  And  "the  remainder  of  this  record"  was 
simply  the  remainder  of  "the  book  of  Ether"  which  followed  from 
chapter  6,  par.  2. 

Because  Ether,  the  last  Jaredite  prophet,  possessed  the  "record" 
and  "interpreters"  of  "the  brother  of  Jared,"  which  record  con- 
tained the  marvelous  things  shown  to  the  brother  of  Jared  in  the 
mount,  which  were  forbidden  to  come  unto  the  children  of  men 
until  after  he  [Christ]  was  lifted  up  upon  the  cross  (Ether  1:  11)— 
because  of  this  Mr.  Sheldon  pretends  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is 
false!  He  says,  "How  came  Ether  by  the  records  several  hundred 
years  before  the  cross?"  For  the  very  good  reason  that  he  was 
the  last  of  the  Jaredite  prophets — a  prophet  of  God — and  because 
he  was  not  "the  children  of  men."  The  term  "children  of  men" 
means  the  world — those  who  are  not  "the  children  of  God."  A 
very  wide  distinction,  though  our  hypercritic  seems  to  not  see  it. 

We  shall,  from  this  on,  pass  without  notice  some  of  the  lesser 
and  more  contemptible  objections  and  quibbles  of  Mr.  Sheldon,, 
lest  we  weary  the  reader  by  introducing  them. 

PLAGIARISM  (?) 

He  finds  fault  because  the  book  of  Malachi,  as  found  both  in  the 
common  version  and  in  the  Inspired  Translation  agree,  while  the 
words  of  Malachi,  as  delivered  by  Jesus  to  the  Nephites,  are  some- 
what different.  Joseph  did  not  pretend  to  either  translate  or  cor- 
rect the  book  of  Malachi,  except,  possibly  in  a  few  words.  The 
words  of  Malachi,  as  found  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  (book  of 
Nephi,  ch.  11),  do  differ  from  the  common  version,  and  this  fact 
proves  a  former  assertion  of  Mr.  Sheldon  false,  where  he  says, 
"The  fact  is,  when  preparing  the  Book  of  Mormon,  our  version 
was  freely  used,  with  all  its  defects." 

These  differing  texts  are  prima  facie  evidence  that  Joseph  did 
not  copy  from  the  common  version;  and  they  furnish  a  strong  ar- 
gument in  favor  of  the  divinity  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  The  su- 
perior sense  of  these  differing  texts  is  always  found  in  the  Book  of 
Mormon. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  complains  that  Moroni  saw  the  "three  Neph- 
ites," whereas  "Mormon  [his  father]  testified  that  they  were  taken 
away  out  of  the  land  when  he  was  fifteen  years  old."  "How," 
says  he  "could  Moroni  have  seen  them  if  they  were  not  in  the 
land?"  To  this  acute,  and  profound  question  we  reply;  (1)  Moroni 
could  scarcely  see  them  unless  they  were  in  the  land;  and  (2)  Mo- 
roni likely  saw  them  when  they  came  back  into  the  land;  for,  in 
going  away,  we  have  no  reason  to  suppose  that  they  were  prohibit- 


RAPID  GATHERING.  131 

ed  from  returning.     We  hope  this  matter  will  no   longer  perplex 
our  burdened  critic's  soul. 

GATHERING. 

Another  difficulty  in  the  way  of  Mr.  Sheldon  is  the  gathering  up 
of  the  Nephites  prior  to  their  national  destruction.  He  says  they 
"were  gathered  from  remote  regions  in  the  short  space  of  four 
years,  *  *  *  men,  women  and  children,  without  the  aid  of  rail- 
roads, from  Minnesota,  Maine,  California,  Florida,  and  every  other 
locality,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  to  the  land  of  Cumorah, 
in  New  York,  all  this,  too,  within  four  years"  Wonderful,  if 
true!  But  the  record  informs  us  that  this  Nephite-Lamanite  war 
began  in  about  A.  D.  320,  (book  of  Nephi  1:  11,  with  book  of 
Mormon  1:  1,  2),  and  continued  until  after  A.  D.  384,  (book  of 
Mormon  3:  1,  2);  a  period  of  sixty-four  years.  Mormon  says: 

'•  And  when  three  hundred  and  eighty  and  four  years  had  passed  away, 
we  had  gathered  in  all  the  remainder  of  our  people  unto  the  land  Cumorah." 
-3:1. 

But  for  sixty-four  years  the  wars  had  been  in  progress,  the  Ne- 
phites fleeing  many  times  before  the  Lamanites,  generally  if  not 
always  toward  the  north  and  east,  till  they  finally  reached  Cumorah. 

Similar  objections  are  raised  by  him  in  regard  to  the  Jaredite 
wars.  He  intimates  that  they  were  of  but  four  years'1  duration, 
whereas,  they  continued  through  a  long  series  of  years,  as  any  one 
may  learn  by  reading  Ether  chapters  5,  6,  and  the  latter  part  of 
chapter  4. 

He  also  asserts  that  the  Jaredites  and  Zarahemlaites  lived  near 
each  other  "about  400  years;  and  once  the  Jaredite  flocks  made  a 
stampede  into  the  land  of  Zarahemla."  Yes,  Mr.  Sheldon,  into  the 
land  that  was  afterwards  "called  by  the  Nephites,  Zarahemla" 
Ether  4  :  4)  just  as  you  have  called  their  lands  Minnesota^  Califor- 
nia, &c.,  <fec.  This  account  is  in  Moroni's  abridged  record  of  the 
book  of  Ether.  Ether  1:  1;  4:  1;  6:  1,  etc.  Hence  it  is  Moroni 
and  not  Ether,  as  you  insinuate,  who  says  the  land  afterwards — 
after  the  times  of  the  Jaredites — "was  called  by  the  Nephites,  Za- 
arhemla." 

We  have  shown  on  p.  32,  that  the  Jaredites,  with  the  exception 
of  their  last  king,  were  destroyed  before  the  Zarahemlaites  came 
to  America. 

ANOTHER    PEOPLE. 

Another  difficulty  is  sought  to  be  conjured  up  as  follows: 

"  And  in  the  days  of  Coriantor  there  came  many  prophets,  and  prophesied 


132  HE  THAT  KILLS. 

of  great  and  marvelous  things,  and  cried  repentance  unto  the  people,  and 
except  they  should  repent,  the  Lord  God  would  execute  judgment  against 
them  to  their|utter  destruction :  and  that  the  Lord  God  would  send  forth  anoth- 
er people  to  possess  this  land,  by  his  power,  after  the  manner  which  he  brought 
their  fathers."— Ether  4 :  9 

Of  this  prophecy  Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"  Here  Joseph  makes  a  serious  blunder,  for  the  Nephites  had  been  brought 
over  the  water  about  350  years  previously." 

This  is  not  true.  We  have  already  proven  on  pages  34  and  127 
that  the  Zarahemlaites  (and  the  Nephites  came  about  the  time 
they  did)  did  not  come  to  America  till  after  the  destruction  of  all 
the  Jaredites  except  their  last  king. 

LANGUAGES    CONFOUNDED. 

He  claims  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  conflicts  with  the  Bible 
when  it  says,  "He  did  not  confound  the  language  of  Jared,"  (Ether 
1:  1),  while  the  Bible  states,  "The  Lord  did  there  confound  the  lan- 
guages of  all  the  earth."  It  is  said  in  the  Bible,  too,  "All  countries 
came  into  Egypt  to  Joseph  to  buy  corn,"  (Gen.  41:  57);  "And  there 
went  out  unto  him  all  the  land  of  Judea,  and  they  of  Jerusalem, 
and  were  baptized  of  him  in  the  river  Jordan,  confessing  their 
sins"  (Mark  1:5).  No  sensible  person  by  these  latter  texts  under- 
stand that  "all,"  as  used  in  them,  means  exactly,  and  absolutely, 
the  whole,  and  every  one,  but,  rather,  the  larger  part;  or,  a  large 
part.  The  (one)  language  of  all  the  earth  was  confused,  but  that 
is  not  to  say  but  that  certain  favored  persons  might  have  retained 
their  original  language. 


CHAPTER     VII. 

Mr.  Sheldon  continues: 

"Joseph  says,  'He  that  kills  shall  not  have  forgiveness  in  this  world  nor 
in  the  world  to  come.'— Doc.  &  Cov.,  p.  142.  Yet  we  are  told  that  Nephi, 
the  hero  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  'took  Laban  by  the  hair  of  the  head  and 
smote  off  his  head  with  his  own  sword.'— 1  Nephi  1 :  35." 

Yes,  Mr.  Sheldon,  that  is  all  true;  and  to  be  consistent  you  should 
have  quoted  Moses,  who  said,  "Thou  shalt  not  kill"  (Ex.  20:  13), 
and  then  told  us  about  Samuel,  the  great  prophet,  who  "hewed 
Agag  in  pieces  before  the  Lord  in  Gilgal"  (1  Sam.  15:  33).  Laban 


•      ZION  NOT  MOVED.  133 

had  records  that  possibly  might  have  belonged  in  part,  or  in  whole, 
to  the  house  of  Lehi,  (at  least  they  were  essential  for  them  to  have 
in  future  time)  and  which  they  were  authorized  of  God  to  obtain, 
(ch.  1:  20,  28,  25).  The  killing  of  the  prisoner  Agag,  was  im- 
measurably more  condemnable  than  the  killing  of  Laban.  Laban 
had  robbed  Nephi  and  his  brethren,  and  also  sought  to  kill  him 
(1  Nephi  1:  28).  There  were  no  such  justifying  causes  recorded 
in  the  case  of  Samuel,  for  the  record  shows  that  Nephi  slew  Laban 
by  direct  commandment  of  God.  And  in  respect  to  the  quotation 
from  Joseph,  "thou  shalt  not  kill,"  etc.,  it  is  a  part  of  a  series  of 
commandments  given  to  the  church  in  these  latter  days. 

What  might  have  been  justifiable  in  Nephi's  time,  and  in  the 
times  of  Samuel,  may  now  be  very  condemnable.  Men  were  justi- 
fied under  Moses'  Law  in  putting  away  their  wives  for  trivial 
causes;  but  under  the  gospel  they  are  not.  The  character  of  an 
act  is,  of  right,  determined  by  the  condition  and  surroundings  of 
the  one  who  performs  it. 

A    QUIBBLE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  avers  that  a  revelation  given  by  Joseph  is  false,  be- 
cause it  says: 

"So  shall  the  knowledge  of  a  Savior  come  unto  my  people,  and  to  the 
Nephites,  and  the  Jacobites,  and  the  Josephites,  and  the  Zoramites  through 
the  testimony  of  their  fathers." — D.  C.  2  :  6. 

He  says  "there  are  no  Nephites  now  in  existence,  according  to 
the  Book  of  Mormon."  They  lost  their  national  existence,  it  is 
true;  but  a  remnant  of  them  were  to  be  preserved  forever,  (1  Nephi 
4:  2;  7:  1,  2;  2  Nephi  2:  1,  3,  4;  7:  1,  2;  11:  6;  12:  9,  12).  There 
were  large  bodies  of  the  Nephites,  Jacobites,  Josephites,  and 
Zoramites — all  called  Nephites — who  dissented  from  the  Nephite 
people,  and  united  with  the  Lamanites  (Alma  21:  29;  22:  3).  And 
this  continued  from  time  to  time  till  the  nation  of  the  Nephites 
was  blotted  out  in  their  last  battle  (book  of  Mormon  3:  3).  Large 
bodies  and  small  ones  went  off  by  themselves,  both  by  land  and 
sea  (Alma  30:  3,  4,  5;  book  of  Mormon  3:  3,  etc.,  etc.).  In  these 
various  ways  the  seed  of  the  Nephites,  Jacobites,  <fec.,  were  to  be, 
and  were  preserved;  and  all  this  "according  to  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon." 

ZION    NOT    MOVED. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says  the  Zion  mentioned  in  a  revelation  through 
Joseph  in  March,  1833,  D.  C.  87:  8,  has  been  "moved  out  of  her 
place;"  and  that  therefore  the  revelation  is  false;  for  it  states  that 
"she  shall  not  be."  To  this  we  answer,  that  the  thing  intended  was, 


134  ZION  NOT  MOVED. 

evidently,  the  locality,  site,  or  place  for  the  building  up  the  city 
of  Ziori.  The  same  thing  is  said  in  another  revelation,  D.  C. 
98:  4: 

"  Zion  shall  not  be  moved  out  of  her  place,  notwithstanding  her  children 
are  scattered,  they  that  remain  and  are  pure  in  heart  shall  return  and  come 
to  their  inheritances;  they  and  their  children,  with  songs  of  everlasting  joy ; 
to  build  up  the  waste  places  of  Zion." 

The  meaning  in  both  revelations  is  obvious, — the  site  or  place 
for  building  up  the  city,  Zion,  should  not  be  changed.  Mr.  Sheld- 
on quotes: 

"  And  behold  there  is  none  other  place  appointed  than  that  which  I  have 
appointed,  neither  shall  there  be  any  other  place  appointed  than  that  which 
I  have  appointed  for  the  work  of  the  gathering  of  my  saints,  until  the  day 
cometh  when  there  shall  be  found  no  more  room  for  them;  and  then  I  have  oth- 
er places  which  I  will  appoint  unto  them,  and  they  shall  be  called  stakes." 
—Ibid. 

He  avers  this  is  false,  because  other  places  for  gathering  were 
subsequently  appointed.  Other  places  were  appointed,  it  is  true, 
but  not  until  it  was  found  that  there  was  "no  more  room"  for  the 
saints  in  or  about  Zion,  or  in  Jackson  county,  or,  finally,  in  the 
state  of  Missouri;  for  the  saints  were  driven  by  force,  and  great 
violence,  first  from  Independence,  the  place  for  "the  center  stake" 
of  Zion,  and  then  from  Jackson  county,  and  then,  in  December, 
1838,  from  the  State  of  Missouri.  This  was  not  done  by  "lewd 
fellows  of  the  baser  sort"  alone;  but  by  lawyers,  doctors,  judges, 
editors,  county  officials,  the  clergy  (to  their  eternal  shame),  and 
finally,  by  the  state  authorities,  sanctioned  by  state  law! 

Bigotry,  pro-slavery  and  political  ambition,  love  of  plunder,  fear 
of  the  abolition  sentiments  of  the  Saints,  stimulated  and  urged  on 
by  falsehood  through  the  pulpit  and  the  press — these  things,  with 
the  faithless,  unchristian  conduct  and  the  heretical  and  foolish 
teachings  or  a  few  saints  were  the  causes  in  bringing  about  the 
condition  provided  for,  viz, — "when  there  is  found  no  more  room 

Sin  Zion]  for  them  [saints],  *  *  *  then  I  have  other  places  which 
will  appoint  unto  them,  and  they  shall  be  called  stakes."  The 
saints  were  commanded  to  not  resist  evil;  and  to  "be  subject  to  the 
powers  that  be,"  and  to  "let  no  man  bivak  the  laws  of  the  land, 
for  he  that  keepeth  the  laws  of  God  hath  no  need  to  break  the  laws 
of  the  land." — D.  C.  53:  5.  Therefore,  when  driven  by  mobs, 
some  of  whom  were  organized  and  officered  by  men  holding  civil 
authority  and  by  ministers  of  religion,  and  finally,  when  driven  by 
the  sanction  and  order  of  state  authority,  certainly  there  was  "no 
more  room"  in  Zion  for  the  Saints.  The  evils  of  Brighamism  and 
other  isms  that  have  sprung'off  in  the  apostasy  from  the  original 


COMMAND  EEVOKED.  135 

faith  and  doctrine  of  the  Church,  are  but  the  legitimate  fruit  of 
the  desperation  to  which  many  were  forced  in  the  numerous  perse- 
cutions and  drivings  of  the  saints  either  sanctioned  or  winked  at 
by  the  civil  authorities — town,  county,  state  and  national — in  Mis- 
souri, and  in  Illinois.  These  authorities,  when  they  in  any  manner 
encouraged  these  persecutions,  and  when  they  did  not  faithfully 
seek  to  prevent  such  things  and  to  punish,  adequately,  those  con- 
nected with  them,  "they  sowed  the  wind!"  and  they  may  blame 
themselves  when  they  "reap  the  whirlwind!!"  Their  treatment  of 
the  saints  drove  thousands  of  the  honest,  confiding  ones,  into  the 
blinding,  bitter  bondage  of  priestcraft,  and  thrust  them  under  the 
influence,  and  into  the  very  jaws  of  "devouring  wolves,"  so  that 
but  "few"  of  that  old  stock  will  stand,  or  remain  to  receive  an  in- 
heritance in  the  original  Zion. 

COMMAND     REVOKED. 

In  order  to  make  the  revelations  quoted  conflict  with  the  revela- 
tion of  1841,  in  respect  to  building  up  Zion  in  Missouri,  Mr.  Shel- 
don quotes  but  part  of  a  clause  of  the  latter  revelation,  thereby 
perverting  its  sense.  The  entire  clause  reads: 

"It  behooveth  me  to  require  that  work  [of  building  the  city  and  temple 
in  Zion,  Missouri],  no  more  at  the  hands  of  those  sons  of  men" — D.  C.  107  : 15. 

But  this  garbler  quotes  it  "will  require  that  work  no  more;" 
leaving  out,  we  see,  the  concluding  and  qualifying  part  of  the 
clause.  Such  is  the  pious  (?)  method  of  this  man  who  boastfully 
promises  to  dig  Mormonism  up  by  the  roots! 

FORMULA    OF    BAPTISM. 

He  finds  fault  because  the  formula  of  words  used  in  baptism,  as 
found  in  the  Doctrine  and  Covenants, — "Having  been  commissioned 
of  Jesus  Christ,  I  baptize  you,"  &c.,  is  different,  in  letter,  from  that 
found  in  the  Book  of  Mormon, — book  of  Nephi  5:  8, — "Having 
authority  given  me  of  Jesus  Christ,  I  baptize  you,"  &c.  The  sense 
of  the  two  passages  is  identical.  The  latter  form  was  given 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago  to  the  Nephites,  while  the  other  is 
given  in  this  century  to  the  church  of  the  Saints.  What  a  prodi- 
gious effort  to  prove  that  Joseph  is  a  false  prophet! 

BIRTH    OF    CHRIST. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says  "it  is  a  well  authenticated  fact  that  Christ  was 
born  several  years  before  the  vulgar  Christian  era  began."  And 
he  argues  therefrom  that  the  commandment  is  false  which  says: 

"  The  rise  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  these  last  days,  being  one  thousand 


136  BIRTH  OF  CHRIST. 

eight  hundred  and  thirty  years  since  the  coming  of  our  Lord  and  Savior 
Jesus  Christ  in  the  flesh."— D.  C.  17  :  1. 

If  his  reckoning  should  by  any  means  prove  true,  still  the  reve- 
lation would  not  be  false,  for  it  would  be  1830  years  and  more,  but 
1830  years  at  any  rate.  It  is  not  a  well  authenticated  chronologi- 
cal fact  that  Christ  was  born  four  years  before  A.D.  1.  The  time 
time  of  his  birth  is  still  a  disputed  point.  Scaliger  says,  "to  de- 
termine the  day  of  Christ's  birth  belonged  to  God  alone,  not  man." 
(Types  of  Mankind,  p.  666).  Says  Dr.  Mosheim: 

"The  year  in  which  it  happened  has  not  hitherto  been  ascertained,  not- 
withstanding the  deep  and  laborious  researches  of  the  learned.  There  is 
nothing  surprising  in  this,  when  we  consider  that  the  first  Christians  labor- 
ed und  erthe  same  difficulties,  and  were  divided  in  their  opinions  concerning 
the  time  of  Christ's  birth."— Church  Hist.,  part  1,  ch.  3,  1. 

MATTHEW,    CHAP.   24. 

In  D.  C.  45:  3-10  is  a  revelation  as  to  what  Jesus  said  to  nis 
disciples  on  the  Mount  of  Olives  in  respect  to  the  calamities  com- 
ing upon  the  Jews,  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  the  end  of  the 
world,  etc.;  and  in  the  llth  paragraph  it  is  said  to  Joseph  and 
others,  "behold  I  say  unto  you,  it  shall  not  be  given  unto  you  to 
know  any  further  concerning  this  chapter,  (Matt.  24),  until  the  New 
Testament  be  translated."  Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  this  promise  has 
failed.  Let  any  one  read  the  Inspired  Translation,  and  they  will 
find  a  vast  amount  of  added  information  concerning  the  subject 
matter  of  that  chapter,  especially  in  Luke  17th  and  21st  chapters; 
also  in  Mark  13th  and  Matthew  24th  chapters. 

HIRAM      PAGE. 

Of  the  revelations  given  by  Hiram  Page  concerning  the  order  of 
the  Church,  the  building  up  of  Zion  and  other  matters,  Mr.  Shel- 
don inquires: 

"  Why  had  not  Hiram  just  as  good  a  right  to  write  from  a  stone  as  Joseph 
had?  And  if  Satan  could  deceive  Hiram  through  a  stone,  why  could  he  not 
deceive  Joseph  in  the  same  way?" 

We  reply  (1),  that  it  was  utterly  contrary  to  the  established  or- 
der of  the  Church  for  any  but  those  whe  were  called  of  God  to 
that  special  work,  to  receive  revelations  and  commandments  touch- 
ing the  law  and  general  order  of  the  Church.  This  may  be  seen 
by  consulting  D.  C.  sec  19,  a  revelation  given  to  the  Church  at  the 
very  time  the  Church  was  organized.  Joseph,  alone,  was  called  to 
that  work.  The  case  of  Aaron  and  Miriam,  when  they  usurped 
the  prerogatives  of  Moses,  is  right  in  point.  See  Num.  12:  1-8. 
They  erred  greatly  in  seeking  to  get  into  Moses'  place.  Hananiah 


ONE  HEAD.  13T 

usurped  the  special  calling  of  Jeremiah. — Jer.  1:  5-10.  with  ch  28. 
Satan  deceived  Hananiah,  moving  him  to  supplant  Jeremiah. 
There  is  specific  order  in  the  government  of  God's  church,  as  is 
seen  in  the  cases  cited,  and  as  may  be  further  seen*  by  consulting 
Gal.  2:  12,  with  Acts  15:  19,  28,  etc.,  etc.  Hiram  Page  violated 
the  provided  order  for  and  of  the  church;  and,  seeking  the  office  of 
another,  he  was  in  a  condition  to  be  deceived  by  Satan.  When 
persons  attempt  to  officiate  in  the  things  of  God  when  not  proper- 
ly called  and  set  apart  to  that  work,  they  are  serving  the  wicked 
one  and  are  in  a  condition  to  be  easily  deceived.  We  reply  (2), 
that  Satan  could  not  deceive  Joseph  in  the  same  way  he  did  Hiram; 
first,  because  Joseph  had  great  experience  in  the  spiritual  things  of 
God  and  had  witnessed  much  of  the  cunning  wiles  of  Satan  during 
the  seven  or  eight  preceding  years;  and,  in  the  next  place,  the 
Lord  will  not  call  a  person  to  the  specific  work  of  receiving  revela- 
tions and  commandments  for  his  church  and  then  permit  him,  if 
he  is  faithful,  to  be  deceived  by  Satan  so  as  to  receive  and  give  to 
the  church  false  revelations.  Indeed,  it  is  most  questtonable  as  to 
whether  God  would  suffer  hig  chosen  and  appointed  prophet  to  re- 
ceive a  false  revelation  and  give  it  to  His  church.  But  it  is  pos- 
sible that  the  prophet  might  receive  a  false  revelation  and  give  it 
to  wicked  persons  seeking  for  forbidden  things. — Ezek.  14:  1-11. 
God  has  promised  to  be  with,  and  protect,  and  preserve  his  minis- 
try, on  the  grounds,  of  course,  of  their  faithfulness  in  their  own 
calling  and  office.  A  counterfeiter  can  not  impose  his  spurious 
notes  on  the  skilfull,  experienced  and  faithful  cashier  on  whose 
bank  the  notes  are  drawn,  but  he  may  upon  the  inexperienced,  the 
unwary,  the  officious  and  conceited. 

ANGEL    ORDINATION. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says,  "Joseph  and  Oliver  differ  in  their  testimony 
concerning  the  statement  of  the  angel  at  their  ordination."  That 
is  true;  but  it  consists  in  omissions.  Joseph  omits  in  his  state- 
ments some  things  mentioned  by  Oliver,  and  Oliver  omits  some 
things  mentioned  by  Joseph,  yet  their  testimonies  are  essentially 
the  same.  They  can  not  be  charged  with  collusion.  Furthermore, 
they  do  not  differ  near  so  widely  as  do  the  evangelists  in  respect 
to  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  or  as  does  Paul  in  respect  to  his  own  con- 
version. Acts  22:  6-16;  26:  13-18. 

PRIESTHOOD    RESTORED. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says,  "And  if  the  priesthood  had  been  lost  so  long,, 
why  was  it  not  restored  before?"  For  the  very  good  reason  (1), 


138  PRIESTHOOD  RESTORED. 

that  the  world  was  not  prepared  for  it  before.  The  religious  in- 
tolerance, and  the  priestly  despotism  that,  by  the  sanction  and  aid 
of  civil  rulers  had  so  long  held  the  world  under  their  blinding  and 
tyrannical  sway,  had  to  be  subdued  in  part,  or  be  removed,  ere  such 
a  work  could  be  accomplished.  Civil  and  religious  liberty  must 
be  firmly  established  before  it  was  practicable,  if  indeed  possible. 
The  Reformers  did  good  work  in  preparing  the  way,  but  it  re- 
mained for  "Free  America" — a  Nation  pledged  to  protect  and  de- 
fend the  religionist  of  every  creed  and  belief — to  be  raised  up  to 
an  honored  and  commanding  position  among  the  nations,  before 
"the  dispensation  of  the  fulness  of  times"  could  be  successfully 
ushered  in.  It  required  peculiar  conditions  in  national  and  reli- 
gious matters  under  which  to  begin  the  sojourn  in  Egypt,  the  exo- 
dus of  Israel,  the  return  from  the  "seventy  years'  captivity,"  and 
especially  the  order  of  the  "new  covenant,"  under  Jesus  and  his 
apostles.  And  in  the  latter  days  proper  conditions  must  be  had 
in  civil  and  religious  affairs  ere  the  priesthood  could  be  restored 
and  God's  "marvelous  work  and  a  wonder"  be  begun.  We  reply 
(2)  that  it  was  not  restored  before,  because  it  was  not  so  appointed 
of  God. 

IF    JOSEPH    FAILED. 

Mr.  Sheldon  next  inquires:  "Would  the  world  have  gone  to  ruin 
if  Joseph  had  died  in  his  infancy?"  And  to  this  we  reply,  "Would 
the  world  have  gone  to  ruin  if  John  the  Baptist  had  died  in  his 
infancy?"  God  will  judge  all  men  according  to  their  light  and 
their  works.  The  Lord,  whilst  he  is  "no  respecter  of  persons," 
does  respect  the  works  of  men,  "to  give  unto  every  man  according 
to  his  ways,  and  according  to  the  fruit  of  his  doings,"  (Jer.  17:  10), 
whether  he  has  heard  the  gospel  or  not.  The  almsdeeds,  the  just- 
ness, the  piety  and  godly  reverence  of  Cornelius,  the  heathen  man, 
pleased  the  Lord,  and  called  forth  the  angel  from  the  heavens  in 
order  that  this  man  and  his  house  might  be  brought  nigh  to  God 
and  made  partakers  of  gospel  salvation  in  its  fulness  and  perfec- 
tion. 

The  Lord  will  finally  judge  all  men,  and  "give  every  man  ac- 
cording as  hia  works  shall  be,"  (Rev.  22:  12),  whether  John  the 
Baptist,  Joseph  Smith,  or  even  Mr.  Sheldon  had  died  in  their  in- 
fancy. 

O.    COWDEBY    TRANSLATE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  seeks  to  make  capital  out  of  a  revelation  to  O.  Cow- 
dery  in  April,  1829,  relative  to  his  translating.  The  Lord  had  said 
to  him  in  the  preceding  revelation  that  if  he  sincerely  desired  it, 


PLATES  NOT  PUBLIC.  139 

and  was  very  faithful,  he  should  "receive  a  knowledge  concerning 
the  engravings  of  the  old  records  *  *  *  by  the  manifestation  of 
my  [God's]  Spirit;  yea,  behold  I  will  tell  you  in  your  mind  and  in 
your  heart  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  shall  come  upon  you,  and 
which  shall  dwell  in  your  heart.  Now,  behold  this  is  the  Spirit 
of  revelation."— D.  C.  7:  1,  2. 

The  promise  to  him  was,  not  that  he  should  have  the  Urim  and 
Thummim,  but  that  he  should,  if  he  complied  with  the  specified 
conditions,  receive  knowledge  "of  the  old  records"  by  "the  Spirit 
of  revelation"  in  his  "mind"  and  in  his  "heart," — like  the  prophet 
of  old. 

"His  word  was  in  my  heart  as  a  burning  fire  shut  up  in  my  bones." — Jer. 
20:9. 

And  like  the  apostles  when  instructed  by  the  risen  Savior, — 
"Did  not  our  heart  burn  within  us,  while  he  talked  with  us  by  the 
way,  and  while  he  opened  to  us  the  Scriptures?" — Luke  24:  32. 

The  next  revelation  informs  us  that  Oliver  failed  to  comply 
with  the  said  conditions,  and  therefore  failed  to  translate.  Peter 
failed  in  his  faith,  and  therefore  sank.  (Matt.  14:  30,  31). 

PLATES NOT    ON    EXHIBITION. 

Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  that  if  Joseph  did  not  have  the  plates  imme- 
diately before  him  when  he  was  translating  them,  (as  stated  by  D. 
Whitmer  to  a  Chicago  Times  reporter,  in  August,  1875),  he  had 
no  need  to  have  dug  them  up.  We  do  not  question  but  what  God 
might  have  revealed  the  contents  of  the  plates,  through  his  Spirit, 
as  easily  as  to  reveal  any  other  secret  thing;  but  this  was  not  done. 
Uundoubtedly  God,  in  his  wise  providence  considered  it  far  better 
that  the  plates  should  be  obtained,  and  kept  at  hand,  and  seen  and 
handled  by  many  chosen  and  reliable  witnesses,  and  then  exhibited 
— the  same  plates — by  the  angel  of  God  to  David  Whitmer,  Oliver 
Cowdery,  Martin  Harris,  with  Joseph,  while  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
out  of  heaven  testified  to  the  fact  and  truthfulness  of  their  trans- 
lation by  Joseph.  This  course  multiplies  and  strengthens  the 
evidences  relating  to  the  truly  wonderful  matter.  Christ,  after  his 
resurrection,  appeared  only  to  chosen  witnesses,  and  not  to 
the  world. 

REVELATIONS  OF  JOSEPH  REPUDIATED. 

Mr.  Sheldon  tells  us  that  "there  are  a  few  Mormons  who  repud- 
iated the  revelations  of  Joseph,  and  yet  cling  to  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  thinking  that  Joseph  was  all  right  when  he  translated, 
and  apostatized  before  giving  the  conflicting  revelations."  We 


140  SMALLNESS  OF  PLATES. 

are  not  aware  of  any  Saints  who  profess  to  repudiate  all  Joseph's 
revelations.  There  are  a  very  few  who  repudiate  his  revelations 
after  about  1833-4,  when  they  claim  he  fell  and  lost  his  gift. 
And  there  are  a  great  many  who  in  practice  repudiate  his  revela- 
tions to  the  church,  the  most  prominent  and  numerous  of  whom 
are  the  Utah  Mormons. 

We  do  not  believe,  with  Mr.  Sheldon  and  a  few  others,  that  "he 
was  used  alternately  by  the  Lord  and  by  the  Devil — by  the  Lord 
to  translate,  and  at  the  same  time  by  the  Devil  to  give  rev- 
elations." 

.      SMALLNESS    OF    THE    PLATES. 

Mr.  Sheldon  avers  that,  "The  story  of  engraving  such  a  large 
book  as  the  Book  of  Mormon  on  such  a  small  number  of  plates  as 
Joseph  pretended  to  find,  is  preposterous."  He  says  that  the 
language  in  which  the  plates  were  written  is  "claimed  to  be  a  little 
less  than  the  Hebrew,"  "the  elaborate  Hebrew."  These  statements 
are  not  true.  What  the  Book  of  Mormon  states  is  this: 

"If  our  plates  had  been  sufficiently  large,  we  should  have  written  in 
Hebrew." — Mormon  4:8. 

The  plates  were  written  in  characters  called  among  the  Nephites 
"the  reformed  Egyptian."  Ibid.  The  Egyptian,  proper,  com- 
bines in  style  the  ideographic  and  the  phonetic,  and  is  very 
comprehensive.  Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  that  one  page  of  their 
language  could  not  make  more  than  three  pages  of  English.  He 
thinks  this  a  very  great  difference  in  the  language,  and  seeks  to 
invalidate  Mr.  Smith's  prophetic  mission  and  the  Book  of  Mormon 
on  this  hypothesis.  Now,  if  he  proposes  to  prove  Joseph  a  false 
prophet  because  so  large  an  amount  of  information  is  contained  in 
so  small  a  space  as  would  be  afforded  by  the  plates,  why  not  be 
consistent  and  convict  another  translator  on  similar  grounds? — 
"Mene,  Mene,  Peres" — three  small  words  were  translated  by 
the  prophet  Daniel  (5:  26-28)  to  read:  "God  hath  numbered  thy 
kingdom  and  finished  it.  Thou  art  weighed  in  the  balances,  and 
art  found  wanting.  Thy  kingdom  is  divided,  and  given  to  the 
Medes  and  Persians."  The  three  words  have  thirteen  letters,  and 
the  translation  one  hundred  and  thirty-one.  Here  is  more  than 
ten  fold  difference!  There  may  have  been  even  a  wider  difference 
than  this  between  the  "reformed  Egyptian"  and  the  English. 

MULEK SON    OF    ZEDEKIAH. 

In  the  book  of  Omni  1:  7,  it  is  said: 

"  The  people  of  Zarahemla  came  out  from  Jerusalem  at  the  time  that  Ze- 
dekiah,  King  of  Judah,  was  carried  away  captive  into  Babylon." 


ZEDEKIAH'S  SONS.  141 

They  are  mentioned  also  in  Mosiah  11:8,  Helaman  2:  27,  and 
3:  6.  In  the  two  last  cited  places  we  are  informed  that  with  this 
people  came  "Mulek,"  a  son  of  King  Zedekiah,  not  "a  leader"  of 
the  colony,  as  Mr.  Sheldon  asserts,  but  simply  a  member  of 
that  colony.  Nephi,  reasoning  with  the  people  said, 

"  Will  ye  say  that  the  sons  of  Zedekiah  were  not  slain,  all  except  it  were 
Mulek?  Yea,  and  do  ye  not  behold  that  the  seed  of  Zedekiah  are  with  us, 
and  they  were  driven  out  of  Jerusalem?" 

Mr.  Sheldon  tells  us  this  account  can  not  be  true,  for  the  reason, 
he  claims,  that  all  the  sons  of  Zedekiah  were  killed  by  the  King 
of  Babylon.  It  is  true  that  it  is  stated,  2  Kings  25:  7,  and  Jer. 
39:  6,  that  "they  slew  the  sons  of  Zedekiah  before  his  eyes,"  yet 
this  does  not  render  it  impossible  for  one,  or  even  more  of  his  sons 
to  have  been  spared.  Josephus  informs  us  that  he  had  many 
wives.  He  likely  had  many  sons.  Pharaoh  commanded  the 
Hebrew  midwives  to  slay  all  the  sons  born  to  the  Israelites,  yet  in 
the  providence  of  God  Moses  was  secretly  saved.  An  Egyptian 
historian,  recording  that  slaughter,  and  not  knowing  of  the  escape 
of  Moses,  would,  unquestionably,  have  stated  that  all  the  doomed 
innocents  were  slain.  Jewish  historians  are  distinguished  for 
their  florid,  poetic,  and  exaggerative  style — a  style  lacking  the 
nice  precision,  and  fulness  of  detail,  that  distinguishes  the  histo- 
rian of  Greece,  and  Rome,  and  the  enlightened  nations  of  these 
later  centuries.  For  instance,  Josephus  tells  us  that  "when  Cesti- 
us  had  marched  from  Antipatris  to  Lydda,  he  found  the  city  empty 
of  its  men,  for  the  whole  multitude  were  gone  up  to  Jerusalem  to 
keep  the  feast  of  tabernacles;  yet  did  he  destroy  fifty  of  those  that 
showed  themselves,  and  burnt  the  city."--  Wars,  B.  2:19.  "The 
whole  multitude  were  gone"  "yet  did  he  destroy  fifty  of  those  that 
showed  themselves"  Paul,  in  Colossians  1:23,  says  the  gospel 
"was  preached  to  every  creature  which  is  under  heaven"  Yet  this 
could  have  been  strictly  true  of  only  a  part.  Daniel  prophesies 
that  the  third  kingdom  in  the  succession  from  Babylon  (the  Mace- 
donian), "shall  bear  rule  over  all  the  earth"  (Dan.  2:  39),  yet  there 
were  large  portions  of  Europe,  Asia.,  and  Africa,  to  say  nothing  of 
America,  over  which  the  Macedonian  kingdom  did  not  bear  rule. 
Mr.  Newton,  in  his  works,  p.  192,  makes  these  judicious  remarks, 
which  we  submit  for  the  information  of  Mr.  Sheldon  and  his 
admirers: 

"  General  prophecies,  like  general  rules,  are  not  to  be  understood  so  strictly 
and  absolutely,  as  if  they  could  not  possibly  admit  of  any  kind  of  limitation 
or  exception  whatever.  *  *  *  The  prophets  exhibit  a  general  view  of 
things,  without  entering  into  the  particular  exceptions.  It  was  predicted 


142  ZEDEKIAH'S  SONS. 

that  'Canaan  should  be  a  servant  of  servants  unto  his  brethren/  and  gener- 
ally his  posterity  were  subjected  to  the  descendants  of  his  brethren;  but  yet 
they  were  not  always  so ;  upon  some  occasions  they  were  superior." 

And  this  rule  applies  with  greater  force  to  history,  as  our  quota- 
tions prove.  These  thoughts  are  presented,  and  these  quotations 
made,  that  we  may  be  guarded  against  putting  too  great  exact- 
itude and  precision  upon  passages  where  the  writer  thereof  did 
not  intend  it.  That  the  King  of  Babylon  killed  the  sons  of  Zede- 
kiah  before  his  eyes,  we  do  not  doubt;  yet  to  believe  the  Bible  we 
must  believe  that  at  least  one  (Mulek)  was  saved  from  that  fate. 
To  give  Bible  proof  of  this,  we  turn  to  the  "more  sure  word 
of  prophecy,"  and  by  that  we  learn  that  the  Lord,  very  shortly 
before  Zedekiah  and  his  family  were  taken  captive,  made  this 
promise  through  his  prophet  Ezekiel  in  respect  to  the  seed  of  Ze- 
dekiah: 

"Thus  saith  the  Lord  God;  I  will  also  take  of  the  highest  branch  of  the 
high  cedar,  and  will  set  it;  I  will  crop  off  from  the  top  of  his  young  twigs  a 
tender  one,  and  will  plant  it  upon  a  high  mountain  and  eminent:  In  the 
mountain  of  the  height  of  Israel  will  I  plant  it."— Ezek.  17  :22,  23. 

"The  highest  branch  of  the  high  cedar"  clearly  relates  to  the 
then  reigning  King  of  Judah,  which  was  Zedekiah  (as  the  highest 
branch  of  the  cedar,"  of  verse  3,  related  to  King  Jehoiachin). 
And  "his  young  twigs"  clearly  relates  to  the  king's  seed.  And, 
"a  tender  one"  "from  the  top  of  his  young  twigs,"  can  only  mean 
the  most  eminent  one  of  his  seed.  And  when  the  Lord  says,  "I 
will  also  take  of  the  highest  branch  of  the  high  cedar,  and  will  set 
it;  I -trill  crop  off  from  the  top  of  its  young  twigs  a  tender  one,  and 
will  plant  it,  etc.,  etc.,  it  can  only  mean  that  the  Lord,  in  some 
special  and  extraordinary  way,  will  take  "a  tender  one"  of  King 
Zedekiah's  seed,  and  will  establish  it,  and  nurture  it,  in  a  superior 
place — "a  high  mountain  and  eminent" — in  some  land  that  belongs 
to  Israel  (but  not  to  Judah).  This  prophecy  must  have  its  fulfill- 
ment; but  it  could  not  if  the  claim  of  Mr.  Sheldon  that  all  ZedQ- 
kiah's  sons  were  slain  was  true.  The  Book  of  Mormon  affords  to 
this  prophecy  an  easy  and  rational  solution;  otherwise  it  would  be 
an  insuperable  difficulty.  It  must  be  fulfilled  in  a  manner  like 
that  claimed  by  the  Book  of  Mormon;  and  America  being  the  land 
of  Israel,  as  claimed  by  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  as  is  shown  by 
prophetic  blessings  (Gen.  49:  22-26;  48:  15-21;  Deut.  33:  13-17), 
it  was  fitting  to  describe  this  choice  land  as  being  "a  high  mountain 
and  eminent  *  *  *  the  mountain  of  the  height  of 'Israel."  Mr. 
Sheldon  says  that  Joseph  got  himself  "in  a  trap,"  when  stating 
that  one  of  Zedekiah's  sons  came  to  America,  but  we  think 


COMPASS— DIRECTOBS.  143, 

Joseph's  statement  proves  that  he  was  inspired  of  God  to  reveal 
secret  things.  If  Joseph  had  "copied  from  the  common  version, 
with  all  its  defects,"  as  averred  so  often  by  Mr.  Sheldon,  he 
certainly  would  not  have  said  that  one  of  Zedekiah's  sons  came  to 
America.  Neither  would  Mr.  Spaulding  have  said  so  had  he 
written  the  book.  The  book  Joseph  claimed  to  translate,  (Book  of 
Mormon),  does  not  make  such  claim,  and  Ezekiel's  prophecy  sus- 
tains it;  thus  confirming  the  truth  of  the  book,  the  divinity  of 
Joseph's  mission,  and  catching  Mr.  Sheldon  in  the  trap  he  laid  for 
others. 

"COMPASS: 


Mr.  Sheldon  is  horrified  at  the  idea  that  God  should  prepare  a 
"compass,"  or  "directors,"  to  guide  Lelii  and  his  family  on  their 
wonderful  journey,  yet  he  professes  to  believe  that  God  provided 
a  beautiful  star  to  guide  the  wise  men  to  him  that  was  "born  King 
of  the  Jews"  (Matt.  2:  1,  2,  9,  10).  He  says  "the  story  about  the 
interpreters,  or  stone  spectacles,  is  too  marvelous  for  credence;" 
yet  he  can  easily  believe  that  Joseph  had  a  silver  cup  through 
which  he  obtained  revelations  (Gen.  44:5)  and  that  the  Urim  was 
a  means  of  revelation  also  (Num.  27:21;  1  Sam.  28:2).  He 
says  "the  story  of  Ether's  stone  candles  overtaxes  marvelousness;" 
yet  he  readily  believes  that  the  "pillar  of  cloud  by  day,  and 
the  pillar  of  fire  by  night"  attended  Israel  in  their  exodus;  and 
that  "cloven  tongues  like  that  of  fire"  sat  upon  the  disciples  (Acts 
2:  3)  and  that  unconverted  Saul  "saw  in  the  way  a  light  from  heav- 
en, above  the  brightness  of  the  sun,"  shining  about  himself  and 
those  that  journeyed  with  him  (Acts  26:  13).  He  shudders  at  the 
thought  that  Nephi  and  Lehi,  missionaries  whose  lives  were 
endangered  by  enemies,  "were  encircled  about  with  a  pillar  of  fire" 
(Helaman  2:18);  yet  he  can  take  in  the  story  of  the  three  Hebrew 
children  and  the  fiery  furnace  (Dan.  3:  19-27);  and  with  credulous 
soul  can  see  Elijah  go  up  into  heaven  "by  a  whirlwind,"  attended 
by  "a  chariot  of  fire,  and  horses  of  fire."  (2  Kings  2:  11). 


MODERN    MIRACLES. 


Bible  miracles  he  rather  likes,  but  those  from  any  other  direc- 
tion he  can  not  and  will  not  believe — because  they  are  not  fashion- 
able,  probably;  and  because  they  have  not  the  sanction  of  his 
modern  creed  of  unbelief  in  the  word  of  God.  Such  clear  sighted 
people  as  our  critic  can  see  that  miracles  are  easy  to  be  believed  if 
they  are  only  the  ones  done  two  thousand  years  ago  and  ten 
thousand  miles  away,  if  related  in  their  Bible;  but  with  him,  any- 


144  WEIGHT  OF  PLATES. 

thing  outside  of  that  should  be  belittled,  belied,  and  branded 
as  an  imposture.  We  are  forcibly  reminded  of  the  ancient 
Pagans;  they  could  easily  believe  all  the  miracles  imputed  to  their 
deities,  but  the  miracles  of  the  early  Christians  were  spurious! 
The  Jews  could  believe  in  the  miracles  wrought  among  their  fore- 
fathers, but  the  miracles  of  Jesus  and  his  disciples  were  either 
impositions  or  were  done  by  Beelzebub.  Mr.  Sheldon  would 
not  for  the  world  question  but  what  Elisha  made  the  axe  head  to 
swim  (2  Kings  6:6);  and  that  Jesus  wrought  a  miracle  in  order  to 
pay  poll-tax  for  himself  and  Peter;  but  no  miracles  must  be 
wrought  in  bringing  out  to  America  a  righteous  colony,  nor  in 
sustaining  them  when  here!  The  sun  standing  still  at  the  behest 
of  Joshua  is  all  right  with  Mr.  Sheldon,  but  Israelites  on  this  con- 
tinent must  make  no  claim  to  miracles._ 

"Hush,  hush,  my  son,"  said  a  pious  old  lady  to  her  idolized  sail- 
or-boy, as  he  related  to  her  that,  among  other  wonders,  there  were 
flying  fish  in  the  sea,  "don't  impose  on  your  old  mother  and  try  to 
fool  her  with  any  of  your  big  sailor  yarns."  But  when  he  told 
her,  in  solemn  tones,  that  their  vessel's  anchor  dragged  up  one  of 
the  veritable  chariot  wheels  of  old  Pharaoh,  lost  in  the  Red  Sea, 
exclaimed  with  reverential  awe,  "La's  a  me!  and  did  you  bring  it 
home!"  Some  people  will  spurn  any  truth  if  it  conflicts  with 
their  creeds  and  traditions. 

Orson  Pratt  describes  the  body  of  the  plates  from  which  the 
Book  of  Mormon  was  translated  as  being  about  eight  inches  long, 
seven  inches  wide,  and  six  inches  thick;  which  would  contain  336 
cubic  inches.  Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  gold  plates  to  this  amount  would 
weigh  "near  200  pounds."  Here  as  usual  he  goes  wide  of  the 
truth.  A  body  of  solid  gold  of  such  dimensions  and  of  such  qual- 
ity as  needed  would  not  weigh  near  so  much;  and  a  body  of  finely 
and  elaborately  engraved  plates  of  such  dimensions  would  weigh 
far  less;  probably  much  less  than  100  pounds.  William  B.  Smith 
says  he  saw  them  weighed  at  60  pounds. 

JAREDITES     EXTERMINATED. 

Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  the  story  of  the  utter  extermination  of  the 
Jaredite  nation  on  this  continent  is  too  marvelous  for  credence; 
and  so  of  the  Nephites.  He  admits  that  an  intelligent  class 
of  people  dwelt  on  this  continent  at  one  time,  but  falsely  and  fool- 
ishly claims  that  it  was  "prior  to  the  great  deluge!"  and  says 
further:  "The  many  traces  of  an  early  settlement  date  back  to  that 
dispensation!"  Humboldt,  Josiah  Priest,  Stephens,  Baldwin, 
Delafield,  and  many  others  who  have  studied  the  antiquities 


ANCIENT  AMERICANS.  145 

of  America  never  dreamed  of  this  sweeping  method  of  this  genius 
from  Broadhead!  What  a  pity  they  had  not  met  and  consulted 
this  prodigy  of  invention!  and  that,  too,  before  they  had  spent  so 
much  time  and  money  in  elaborating  their  theories.  The  idea  that 
Mr.  Sheldon,  who  never  saw  any  of  these  antiquities,  and  whose 
ignorance  on  these  matters  he  now  so  plainly  exhibits — the  idea 
that  he  should  oppose  his  opinions  to  those  of  the  most  renowned 
antiquarians  and  scientists  of  the  age,  makes  him  slightly  ridic- 
ulous. Mr.  Delafield  has  furnished  the  world  with  an  Aztec  Map 
which  outlines  the  route  of  those  who  came  and  settled  in  Mexico 
and  Central  America,  and  this  puts  the  settling  of  America  this 
side  the  Deluge.  The  Mexicans,  and  Peruvians,  with  many  of  the 
Indian  tribes,  and  many  of  the  islanders  of  the  Pacific,  have  a 
well  defined  tradition  of  the  Flood,  but  these  all  locate  the  flood 
before  the  building  up  of  those  great  cities  and  roadways  that  so 
abound  in  America.  Mr.  Delafield  assures  us  that  the  style  of 
architecture  seen  in  these  ancient  ruins  is  clearly  Egyptian.  He 
also  assures  us  that  there  are  striking  analogies  between  the 
ancient  languages  of  America,  and  those  of  Asia — the  Egyptian 
and  Hindoo,  especially.  And  further,  that  there  are  strong  analo- 
gies in  the  religious  notions  of  the  ancient  Americans  and  the 
Asiatics,  as  seen  in  their  traditions,  their  sculpturing,  their  relig- 
ious symbols,  etc.  He  likewise  tells  us  that  their  style  of  hiero- 
glyphics bears  a  striking  resemblance  to  the  Egyptian.  How  ex- 
actly this  accords  with  the  claims  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  where 
it  says,  in  no  less  than  three  different  places,  that  the  Nephites 
wrote  in  Egyptian — "the  reformed  Egyptian." — 1  Nephi  1:1;  Mosi- 
ah  1:1;  book  of  Mormon  4:  8.  Delafield  further  remarks  that 
Mexican  astronomy,  with  its  divisions  of  time  based  thereon,  are, 
in  many  leading  respects  identical  with  that  of  Egypt.  At  this 
Latter  Day  Saints  are  not  surprised,  for  they  know  by  the  Book  of 
Mormon  that  two  colonies  of  intelligent  Israelites,  who  could  not 
be  otherwise  than  well  acquainted  with  the  then  prevailing  system 
of  astronomy  of  Egypt,  came  to  this  land  600  years  B.  c.  and  grew 
into  mighty  nations.  Mr.  Delafield  claims  that  in  all  the  analo- 
gies discovered,  as  also  in  tradition,  that  they  have  "positive  evi- 
dence of  an  early  identity  between  the  aboriginal  race  of  America 
and  the  southern  Asiatic  and  Egyptian  family." — Antiquities  of 
America,  p.  51. 

TWO  DISTINCT  PEOPLES. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  asserts  that  America  was  settled  by  two 
10 


146  MEN  OF  GREAT  AGE. 

distinct  peoples,  at  two  very  remote  periods  of  time;  The  Jaredites 
commencing  their  settlement  some  2150  or  2200  years  before 
Christ,  and  continuing  over  a  period  of  from  1500  or  1600  years 
to  the  exodus  of  Lehi,  and  Mulek  and  his  company,  B.  c.  600,  when 
the  Nephites  and  Zarahemlaites  suceeded  them  and  continued 
for  1000  years,  and  were  themselves  succeeded  by  the  Lamanite 
nation.  It  represents  the  Jaredites,  and  the  Nephites,  as  being 
highly  skilled  in  the  arts  and  sciences  of  civilized  life.  And  Bald- 
win, in  his  "Ancient  America",  pp.  155,  156,  264,  271,  etc.,  con- 
firms this  view.  He  says,  "these  old  constructions  [ruins]' belong 
to  different  periods  in  the  past,  and  present  somewhat  different 
phases  of  civilization."  So  say  Bancroft,  Short,  and  other 
authors. 

This  theory  of  Mr.  Sheldon's,  like  many  other  of  his  positions, 
lacks  the  essential  elements  of  truth  and  common  sense;  and  when 
these  flimsy  bubbles  are  pricked  they  collapse  and  leave  a  blot  on 
the  reputation  of  him  that  created  them. 

LONG-LIVED  PEOPLE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  thinks  that  Amos,  the  son  of  Amos,  could  not  have 
kept  the  records  for  so  long  a  time  as  is  claimed;  neither  Amma- 
ron  his  brother.  Holy  men  of  old  lived  to  great  ages.  Abraham 
begat  a  son  when  he  was  one  hundred  years  old.  Moses,  when  he 
died,  aged  one  hundred  and  twenty  years,  was  in  the  full  vigor  of 
life.  Ezra,  and  Daniel,  and  many  others  of  God's  worthies  lived 
to  be  very  old,  and  their  habits  of  business  followed  them  to  their 
latest  years.  Mr.  Sheldon  labors  hard  to  make  the  record  say  that 
Amos  and  Ammaron  were  aged  respectively  150  and  160  years. 
This  method  of  perversion  is  a  favorite  trick  with  him.  Amos  2d 
might  have  been  less  than  130  years  old  at  his  death,  and  Amma- 
ron no  older,  as  will  appear  on  examining  the  record. 

Golour  M'Crain,  of  the  Isle  of  Jura,  who  died  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  I.,  of  England,  was  over  180  years  old.  Thomas  Parr 
died  in  A.  D.  1635,  aged  153  years;  and  James  Bowles  of  Killing- 
worth,  in  1656,  aged  152  years;  and  Lady  Ecclestone,  Ireland,  in 
1691,  aged  143  years.  In  A.  D.  1588,  Jane  Britten  died  in  Somer- 
set, England,  aged  200  years;  and  J.  Forathe,  Glamorganshire,  A. 
D.  1621,  aged  180  years.  Joseph  Crele,  of  Caledonia,  Wisconsin, 
died  in  1866,  aged  140  years. — Haydn,  Diet.  Dates.  These  are  a 
few  from  the  very  many  cases  of  longevity  since  the  times  of 
Christ:  So  the  great  ages  of  Amos  and  Ammaron  are  not  highly 
improbable. 


BAPTISM.  14  T 

THE  BRASS  PLATES. 

Of  the  brass  plates  brought  out  from  Jerusalem,  (1  Nephi  1:  46, 
47,  48;  Alma  17:  5),  Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"If  these  unfound  brass  plates  are  yet  to  be  seen  by  all  nations,"  etc. 

There  is  no  promise  that  they  were  to  be  "seen"  by  all  nations; 
but  only  that  their  contents,  in  part,  or  in  whole,  were  to  go  to  all 
nations.  And  that  is  being  fulfilled,  in  part,  by  the  circulation  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon;  for  it  is  made  up,  in  a  measure,  of  facts 
contained  on  those  plates. 

BORN  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

He  thinks  it  contrary  to  the  belief  and  teachings  of  the  saints 
that  Alma,  (Mosiah  11:  22)  should  be  born  of  the  Spirit  (or  have 
his  sins  pardoned,  as  he  puts  it)  before  baptism  by  water.  But  in 
this  is  nothing  more  strange  than  the  case  of  Cornelius,  treated  on 
p.  52.  God  may  pardon  person's  sins  before  baptism,  and  give 
them  the  Spirit  in  great  power  also;  yet  it  is  out  of  the  ordinary 
course.  The  Lord  increased  the  widow's  oil  and  meal  (1  Kings 
17:  14),  but  that  is  not  the  common  way  for  him  to  supply  the 
wants  of  the  needy. 

BAPTISM. 

He  also  cavils  about  the  commandment  concerning  candidates 
for  baptism  where  it  says: 

"All  those  who  humble  themselves  before  God  and  desire  to  be  baptized 
and  truly  manifest  by  their  works  that  they  have  received  [of]  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  unto  the  remission  of  their  sins,  shall  be  received  by  baptism  into 
his  Church."— D.  C.  17  :  7. 

He  leaves  out  the  word  of,  inclosed  in  brackets,  when  quoting, 
and  then  says: 

"Here  the  reception  of  the  Spirit  and  remission  of  sins  is  made  a  prereq- 
uisite to  baptism." 

Not  quite  so  fast,  Mr.  Sheldon;  a  man  may  receive  of  a,  cup  of 
wine,  and  still  not  receive  the  cup.  Receiving  "of  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  unto  the  remission  of  sins,"  means,  simply,  receiving  that 
which  leads,  or  moves  towards  that  condition.  The  words  to  and 
unto  are  synonymous.  A  man  may  start  to  New  York,  and  yet 
never  get  there. 

BAPTISM  FOR  THE  DEAD. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"The  Mormon  doctrine  of  baptism  by  proxy — baptizing  the  living  for  the 
dead — establishes  the  doctrine  of  salvation  without  repentance  on  the  part  of 
the  sinner." 


148  ENDLESS  PUNISHMENT. 

This  is  not  true,  and  he  knows  it  is  not  the  doctrine  of  the 
Saints.  The  doctrine  and  belief  of  many  of  the  Saints  is  that,  as 
the  spirit  of  man,  after  death,  is  active  and  capable;  and  that,  as 
the  judgment  of  the  wicked  dead  does  not  take  place  till  after 
their  resurrection  (Rev.  20:  5,  12,  13),  there  is  in  that  fact  strong 
presumptive  evidence  in  favor  of  the  idea  that  the  spirits  of  the 
wicked  dead  are,  in  the  intermediate  state,  placed  under  reforma- 
tory influences  as  contemplated  in  John  11:  25;  1  Peter  4:  6,  etc., 
etc.  The  statement  in  Isaiah  24:  21,  22,  that  the  "prisoners"  shall 
"be  visited"  "after  many  days;"  and  the  statements  in  1  Peter  3: 
18-20;  4:  5,  6,  that  disobedient  "spirits"  shall  be  preached  to  in 
"the  prison,"  treated  of  on  p.  115,  with  other  texts,  (among  them 
Jonah  2 :  1-4)  give  ample  ground  for  believing  that  sinners,  except 
those  of  the  very  vilest  degree,  may  hear  the  gospel  in  the  world 
of  spirits  and  repent.  And  it  is  for  this  repentant  class  that  bap- 
tism is  to  be  administered  by  proxy,  for  the  reason  set  forth  in  the 
following:  "As  for  thee  [Christ]  also,  by  the  blood  of  thy  covenant 
I  have  sent  forth  thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit,  wherein  is  no  water" 
— Zech.  9:11.  And  as  for  baptism  for  the  dead,  why  did  Paul 
speak  of  it  as  though  practiced  in  the  church,  if  it  was  not  so 
practiced? — 

"Else  what  shall  they  do  which  are  baptized  for  the  dead,  if  the  dead  rise 
not  at  all."— 1  Cor.  15:29. 

Now  it  will  not  do  to  say  that  "the  dead"  here  spoken  of  is  the 
dead  Christ,  as  some  do;  for  here  "the  dead"  is  from  the  Greek, 
nekron  and  is  a  plural  noun.  Besides,  it  is  historically  true  that 
such  a  practice  was  had  in  the  days  of  the  first  Christians.  And 
yet  this  is  not  now  a  fundamental  doctrine — a  formally  authorized 
doctrine — of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  the  Saints. 

ENDLESS  PUNISHMENT. 

Mr.  Sheldon  strives  to  make  a  conflict  in  the  teachings  of  our 
standard  works  in  respect  to  endless  punishment.  He  argues  that 
when  a  person  suffers  "endless  pnnishment,"  "eternal  punish- 
ment," "everlasting  punishment,"  "eternal  torment,"  etc.,  he  nec- 
essarily suffers  that  punishment — torment — eternally,  in  the  most 
absolute  and  extended  sense  of  that  term.  Now  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, like  the  Bible,  uses  the  words  eternal,  forever,  everlasting, 
endless,  etc.,  to  signify  lengthy  periods,  but  not  always  absolute 
and  unending  duration.  And  this  is  especially  true  when  describ- 
ing punishment.  See  2  Nephi  1:4;  Mosiah  11:  22;  Alma  17:  2; 
book  of  Mormon  4:  6,  etc.  .Exodus  12:  14,  17,  24;  Lev.  25:  46; 
Num.  18:  8;  1  Sam.  3:  13;  Isa.  34:  10;  Amos  1:  11;  Jonah  2:  6; 


THREE  HEAVENS.  149 

Gen.  17:  8;  48:  4;  49:  26;  Lev.  16:  34;  Hab.  3:  6;  1  Tim.  1:  14. 
The  "everlasting  punishment"  mentioned  in  Matt.  25:  46,  it  is 
held  by  the  most  eminent  scholars  of  the  primitive  church,  and 
also  of  the  present  times,  to  mean  punishment  during  a  certain 
period — the  age  to  which  it  relates.  They  inform  us  that  olam, 
Hebrew,  is  the  same  in  sense  and  meaning  as  aionias,  Greek,  and 
that  both  ordinarily  signify  age  or  life,  and  sometimes  an  indefi- 
nite period.  Now,  the  sentiments  advocated  in  D.  C.  18:  1,  2, 
about  which  Mr.  Sheldon  makes  such  an  ado,  are  similar  to  those 
just  noticed.  "Endless  punishment"  is  treated  of  in  the  revela- 
tion cited  as  a  condition  in  which  persons  may  be  placed,  and 
from  which  they  may  be  delivered  on  their  repentance  and  recon- 
ciliation to  the  law  and  order  of  God.  This  is  the  sum  of  the 
matter.  The  meaning  of  a  word,  and  the  signification  of  a  sen- 
tence, can  only  be  determined  by  what  is  directly  connected  with 
it.  Of  this  fact  Mr.  Sheldon  seems  quite  oblivious. 

THREE    HEAVENS. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says  Mahomet  had  seven  heavens  while  Joseph 
teaches  three  kingdoms  in  the  future  world.  Well,  Paul  (2  Cor. 
12:  2)  tells  of  "the  third  heaven;"  and  inasmuch  as  there  is  "the 
third  heaven,"  there  must  be  the  first  and  the  second.  Paul  also 
tells  us,  in  describing  the  resurrection  of  the  dead  (1  Cor.  15:  41, 
42),  that 

"There  is  one  glory  of  the  sun,  another  glory  of  the  moon,  and  another 
glory  of  the  stars;  for  one  star  differeth  from  another  star  in  glory.  So  also 
is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead." 

Joseph  and  Paul  agree,  only  Joseph  calls  those  conditions  king- 
doms, while  Paul  calls  them  (/lories.  The  departments,  or  condi- 
tions, are  the  same,  yet  described  under  different  forms  of  speech. 
God  has  promised  to  judge  all  according  to  their  works  (Rev.  22:12: 
Rom.2:6;  14:12;  Rev.  20:12,13;  Matt.  16:27;  Jer.  17:10;  32:19;  Job 
34:  11;  Ps.  62:  12;  Ezek.  33:  20),  a  principle  co-eternal  with  God; 
(Heb.  1:  9,  with  Jude  6;  2  Peter  2:4;  John  8:  44,  with  Luke  10, 
18),  and  has  promised  that  the  faithful  Saints  shall  be  with  Christ 
(John  17:  24;  14:  3;  1  Thess.  4:  16,  17),  and  that  they  shall  be  like 
Christ  (1  John  3:  3;  1  Cor.  15:  49;  Phil.  3:21;  Col.  3:4;  Rom. 
8:  16,  17).  These,  then,  possessing  the  same  glory  or  heavenly 
condition  with  Christ,  who  will  occupy  the  two  lesser  glories? 
Evidently  those  whose  "works,"  under  the  equitable  and  gracious 
judgment  of  God,  render  them  meet  for  them. 

Joseph  the  seer  teaches  that  men's  rewards  or  future  condition, 
will  vary  as  their  "desires"  (Alma  15:11;  19:8)  and  their  "works" 


150  BOOK  OF  MORMON. 

shall  vary;  and  that,  too,  even  among  sinners.  John  teaches  (Rev. 
22:  14,  15)  that  while  "they  that  do  his  [Christ's]  commandments" 
"have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in  through  the  gates 
into  the  city,"  yet  "without  [that  is,  on  the  outside  of  the 
city]  are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whoremongers,  and  murderers, 
and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie."  All  ought 
to  be  glad  that,  after  suitable,  though  terrible  punishment,  there  is 
something  better  than  hopeless,  unending  torment,  eternal  sleep, 
or  annihilation,  for  even  them  who  love  and  make  lies!  In  these 
teachings  Joseph  and  the  Bible  are  identical.  Jesus  says: 

"All  manner  of  sin  and  blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men  [on  their 
repentance,  evidently]  ;  but  the  blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not 
be  forgiven  unto  men.  And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of 
Man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him;  but  whosoever  speaketh  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him,  neither  in  this  world,  neither  in  the  world 
to  come."— Matt.  12 :  31,  32. 

The  plain  inference  from  this  passage  is,  that  "in  the  world  to 
come"  all  sins  except  the  one  may  be  forgiven.  Here,  then,  are 
three  testimonies  agreeing  essentially  in  the  same  idea.  But  the  doc- 
trine held  by  Mr.  Sheldon  and  others,  that  all  who  do  not  profess 
Christian  faith  in  the  present  life  are  doomed  to  an  absolutely  end- 
less sleep,  or  endless  torture,  is  as  horrid  and  hateful  as  it  is  irra- 
tional and  unscriptural.  Those  who  can  see  nothing  better  should 
not  boast  of  their  wisdom  or  their  love. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


BOOK    OF    MORMON. 

Mr.  Sheldon  quarrels  with  the  idea  that  Psalm  85:  11,  is  applied 
in  proof  of  the  coming  forth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  He  says 
"the  Book  of  Mormon  did  not  'spring'  out  of  the  earth,  but  was 
simply  dug  out."  How  profound!  Webster  says  spring  means  "to 
proceed,"  "to  issue,"  "to  issue  into  sight  or  notice."  And  this  is 
precisely  true  of  the  coming  forth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  He 
also  quarrels  with  the  application  made  of  Isaiah  29th  chapter  in 
proof  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  He  says  the  passage:  "And  the 
vision  of  all  is  become  unto  you  as  the  words  of  a  book  that  is 
sealed,  which  men  deliver  to  one  that  is  learned,  saying,  Read 


SEALED  BOOK.  151 

this,  I  pray  thee,"  was  not  fulfilled  in  connection  with  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  because  only  Martin  Harris  delivered  them  to  the  learned 
man.  But  Mr.  Sheldon  should  bear  in  mind  that  Joseph  was  a 
party  to  this  delivering  "the  words  of  a  book  that  is  sealed"  to  Mr. 
Anthon,  just  as  much  as  Solomon  was  a  leading  party  in  building 
the  temple,  though  doing  none  of  the  mechanical  work.  It  is  a 
principle  in  law  and  good  common  sense,  that  "whatever  a  man 
does  by  his  agent  he  does  by  himself."  "Men"  did  deliver  "the 
words  of  a  book  that  is  sealed"  to  the  "learned;"  for  Joseph  sent 
Martin  for  this  very  purpose. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says  Jesus  applied  verse  thirteen  "to  the  Jews  in 
his  day."  Yes,  but  he  did  not  claim  it  had  its  final  fulfillment 
there  and  then.  The  thirteenth  verse  fitted  their  case  and  condi- 
tion, but  only  in  part.  Peter  accommodated  Joel  2:  28-32,  to  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  yet  it  was  not  finally  fulfilled  on  that  occasion. 
This  practice  was  frequent  with  the  apostles.  "Out  of  Egypt 
have  I  called  my  son"  (Matt.  2:  15),  was  applied  to  the  bringing 
of  Christ  out  of  Egypt;  but  primarily  it  related  to  the  calling  of 
Israel  out  of  Egypt  (Hosea  11:  1).  This  is  one  specimen  out  of 
many  that  might  be  cited.  Newton  remarks,  in  his  work  on  the 
fulfillment  of  prophecy,  that  "many  prophecies  of  Scripture  have  a 
double  meaning,  literal  and  mystical,  respect  two  events,  and  have  a 
two-fold  completion" — p.  71. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says  "the 'vision  of  all,' — verse  eleven, — had  then  (in 
the  days  of  Christ)  become  to  the  Jews  like  a  sealed  book  that 
could  not  be  read  by  the  learned,  or  by  the  unlearned — instead  of 
one  that  could  be  read  by  the  unlearned  Joseph."  But  he  should 
remember  (what  is  fatal  to  his  logic)  that  "the  words  of  the  book" 
would  be  read;  for  in  verse  eighteen  it  is  said: 

"And  in  that  day  shall  the  deaf  hear  the  words  of  the  book,  and  the  eyes  of 
the  blind  shall  see  out  of  obscurity,  and  out  of  darkness." 

So  we  see  "the  words  of  a  book  that  is  sealed"  would  be  uttered 
and  heard — hence  "read."  And  when  Isaiah  predicts  that  the 
"learned"  could  not  read  "the  words"  of  the  book  that  was  sealed, 
it  was  equivalent  to  predicting  that  its  language  was  such  as  the 
then  learned  could  not  read.  For  it  was  not  "the  book,"  that  he 
was  requested  to  read,  but  "the  words  of"  the  sealed  book.  Isaiah 
predicts  that  "the  words"  of  the  sealed  book  should  be  delivered 
by  "men"  to  the  "learned"  and  this  was  done  by  Joseph  and  Mar- 
tin to  Mr.  Charles  Anthon,  Professor  of  languages  in  Columbia  Col- 
lege, New  York.  So  precise  is  the  prophecy,  and  so  exact  its  ful- 
fillment. 


152  LAND  OF  JUDEA. 

That  Isaiah  29th  chapter,  4th  to  24th  verses,  did  not  have  their 
fulfillment  in  the  days  of  Christ,  nor  near  to  that  time,  but  that 
they  were  to  be  fulfilled  in  these  latter  days,  is  made  conclusive 
from  the  following  facts: 

Firstly:  In  the  days  of  Christ  there  was  no  "book,"  neither  "the 
words  of  a  book  that  is  sealed,"  that  was  given  to  the  "learned"  or 
the  "not  learned."  The  Jewish  people  had  possessed  "Moses  and 
the  prophets"  many  centuries  before  the  coming  of  Christ ;  but  the 
New  Testament  was  not  compiled  and  pronounced  canonical  till 
the  third  Council  of  Carthage,  A.  D.  397.  And  besides  that,  the 
first  book  of  the  New  Testament,  (Matthew)  was  not  written  till 
between  A.  D.  50  and  A.  D.  60.  These  books,  then,  or  any  part  of 
them,  can  not  be  "the  book"  or  "the  words  of  a  book  that  is 
sealed;"  therefore  this  prophecy  did  not  have  its  fulfillment  in  the 
times  of  Christ,  and,  consequently,  the  immediate  contexts  could 
not  have  been  fulfilled  then. 

Secondly:  It  is  said  in  the  17th  verse: 

"Is  it  not  yet  a  very  little  while  and  Lebanon  shall  be  turned  into  a  fruit- 
ful field,  and  the  fruitful  field  shall  be  esteemed  as  a  forest  ?" 

Here  a  highly  important  truth  is  declared  in  an  interrogatory 
form, — "Is  it  not  yet  a  little  while?"  meaning  simply,  that  it  would 
be  but  a  little  while  after  the  events  mentioned  in  the  preceding 
verses  had  transpired,  until  "Lebanon  shall  be  turned  into  a  fruit- 
ful field,  and  the  fruitful  field  shall  be  esteemed  as  a  forest."  This 
passage  as  found  in  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  in  the  form  of  a  direct 
prophecy  and  reads:  "But,  behold,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  I  will 
shew  unto  the  children  of  men  [the  world]  that  it  is  not  yet  a 
very  little  while  [after  the  coming  forth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon] 
and  Lebanon  [Judea]  shall  be  turned  into  a  fruitful  field;  and  the 
fruitful  field  shall  be  esteemed  as  aforest." — 2  Nephi  11:  18.  That 
this  term,  Lebanon,  means  the  same  as  in  Jer.  22:  23;  Ezek.  17:  3; 
2  Chron.  25:  18;  Zech.  10:  10,  etc.,  viz.,  the  land  of  Judea,  is,  we 
think,  quite  plain.  It  certainly  relates  to  a  land  that,  prior  to  the 
change  promised,  had  been  barren  and  desolate.  For  it  is  to  be 
"turned  into  a  fruitful  field;"  and  yet  it  shall,  after  this  change^ 
for  a  time  at  least,  be  "esteemed  as  a  forest" — an  uncultivated  and 
unimproved  tract  of  land.  Now  the  land  of  Judea,  soon. after  the 
time  of  Christ,  became  desolate  and  barren  as  predicted  by  the  ser- 
vants of  God  (Lev.  26:  33-43;  Deut.  28:  24;  29:  22,  23;  Ezek.  36: 
3-6,  33,  34;  Dan  9:  27,  etc.),  but  soon  after  the  coming  forth  of 
the  "book  that  is  sealed,"  it  was  to  be  restored  from  its  barren  and 
unfruitful  condition,  a  change,  the  very  opposite  of  that  which  took 


JACOB  BLESSED.  15$ 

place  soon  after  the  time  of  Christ,  which  facts  show  that  these  were 
the  events  predicted  in  Isaiah  29:  9-24.  It  it  a  fact,  of  which  all 
may  inform  themselves,  that  in  this  nineteenth  century,  and  since  A. 
D.  1827 — the  time  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  revealed — the  land  of 
Judea — Lebanon — has  been  turned  into  a  state  of  great  fertility 
and  fruitfulness.  Its  "former  and  latter  rain"  have  been  restored, 
the  latter,  for  the  first  time  with  regularity  for  many  centuries,  in 
the  fall  of  1852.  (See  Mitt.  Star,  vol.  15:  788).  As  a  result,  this 
land  so  long  barren  and  desolate  is  now  bringing  forth  in  its  an- 
cient fertility  wherever  the  hand  of  enterprise  and  tilth  is  applied. 
Here,  then,  are  incontestible  proofs  that  the  prophecy  indicated 
did  not  have  its  fulfillment  in  the  time  of  Christ,  but  that  in  these 
days  it  is  having  a  most  wonderful,  literal  and  glorious  accom- 
plishment. 

Thirdly:  In  the  twenty-second  verse  is  this  prediction: 

''Therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord,  who  redeemed  Abraham,  concerning  the 
house  of  Jacob  :  Jacob  shall  not  now  be  ashamed,  neither  shall  his  face  now 
wax  pale." 

From  this  we  learn,  that  at  the  time  Lebanon  is  turned  into  a 
fruitful  field — after  the  coming  forth  of  the  "book  that  is  sealed" 
— the  "house  of  Jacob,"  including  the  Jews,  of  course,  would  be 
found  in  a  highly  favored  condition  —  "Jacob  shall  not  now  be 
ashamed,  neither  shall  his  face  now  wax  pale."  For  seventeen 
centuries  and  more,  shame  and  fear  have  been  the  portion  of  the 
Jews  in  their  captivity  and  tribulations  amid  the  nations,  and  this,, 
too,  in  fulfillment  of  prophecy — Lev.  26:  36-38;  Deut.  28:  65-67; 
Zeph.  3;  19,  etc.,  etc. — and  now,  within  the  last  one  hundred  years> 
and  more  particularly  since  1827,  the  Jewish  race  have  become  emi- 
nent in  the  nations  where  they  dwell,  are  highly  favored,  and  are 
made  partakers  of  honor  and  fame  in  well  nigh  every  department 
of  civilized  life.  Immediately  after  the  time  of  Christ  the  oppo- 
site of  this  was  true,  for  they  were  brought  to  shame,  and  their 
faces  "waxed  pale"  through  fear,  famine,  and  despair.  But  now 
their  shame  and  fear  are  removed,  and  their  faces  no  longer  "wax 
pale;"  therefore  these  are  the  days  for  the  accomplishment  of  the 
prophecy  under  consideration,  and  these  are  the  times  for  the 
coming  forth  of  the  "book  that  is  sealed."  The  Almighty  has  fixed 
these  periods,  and  marked  them  in  such  a  manner  that  the  sophis- 
try of  "blind  guides,"  nor  the  "cunning  craftiness"  of  the  worldly 
wise  and  prudent  can  disguise  their  exact  location  in  the  world's 
history,  their  importance  and  signification.  The  nineteenth  cen- 
tury being  thus  definitely  marked  of  God,  in  prophecy  and  history,, 


154  HEBREWS  IN  AMERICA. 

as  the  time,  and  the  only  time,  in  which  Isaiah  29:  4-24  finds  its 
fulfillment,  we  enquire  for  the  "book  that  is  sealed,"  and  for  "the 
words"  of  that  book,  and  can  find  nothing  that  fulfills  the  prophetic 
description  but  the  Book  of  Mormon.  It  comes  forth  in  the  exact 
time  required;  it  comes  forth  "out  of  the  ground,"  as  required;  its 
"speech"  whispers  out  of  the  dust,  as  required;  it  is  the  "speech," 
and  "vision,"  of  that  people  who  went  out  from  Jerusalem  before 
its  destruction  by  Nebuchadnezzar  (intimated  in  the  first  four 
verses),  as  required  by  the  prophecy.  Its  language,  in  the  origi- 
nal, was  "sealed"  so  that  the  learned  could  not  read  it,  as  required 
by  the  prophecy;  its  words  were  delivered  by  "men"  (Joseph  and 
Martin)  to  the  "learned,"  just  as  required.  Though  the  learned 
could  not  read  "the  words"  when  first  delivered,  yet  after  being 
given  to  the  unlearned  they  are  read,  just  as  required  by  the 
prophecy.  It  comes  forth  a  little  while  before  Lebanon — Judea — 
is  "turned  into  a  fruitful  field,"  as  the  prophecy  requires;  and  in, 
•and  after,  the  time  of  its  coming  forth,  the  Jews,  for  a  wonder,  are 
found  in  a  highly  favored  and  prosperous  condition,  as  required 
by  the  prophecy.  (See  Saints'  Herald  for  1888,  page  281).  The 
Book  of  Mormon — "the  words  of  the  book"  that  was  "sealed" — 
comes  richly  laden  with  instruction  in  spiritual  things,  and  thor- 
ougly  freighted  with  the  essential  doctrines  of  the  Savior,  the 
Lord  Christ,  as  it  intimated  in  the  prophecy;  for  "they  also  that 
erred  in  spirit  shall  come  to  understanding,  and  they  that  mur- 
mured shall  learn  doctrine"  (vs.  24).  Now,  in  all  these  particu- 
lars, as  well  as  in  others,  the  Book  of  Mormon  corresponds  to,  and 
agrees  with  the  prophecy  under  consideration,  and  no  other  book 
•or  work  under  heaven  does,  or  can,  for  it  is  now  too  late  for  the 
coming  forth  of  any  other  book  to  fulfill  that  wonderful  prophecy. 
3?or  these  reasons  it  is  conclusive  that  the  book  is  of  divine  origin. 
The  Book  of  Mormon  having  been  written  by  Hebrews  who 
came  out  from  Jesusalem  B.  c.  600,  we  might  reasonably  expect 
them  to  be  acquainted  with  and  skilled  in  the  Hebrew  language, 
especially  as  they  carried  with  them  valuable  records  of  their 
nation;  and  the  book  claims  that  they  were.  Nephi,  in  first  book 
of  Nephi  1:1,  says: 

"I  make  a  record  in  the  language  of  my  father,  which  consists  of  the  learn- 
ing of  the  Jews,  and  the  language  of  the  Egyptians." 

And  Moroni  says: 

•'And  if  our  plates  had  been  sufficiently  large  we  would  have  written  in 
Hebrew;  but  the  Hebrew  hath  been  altered  by  us  also  ;  and  if  we  could 
have  written  in  Hebrew,  behold,  ye  would  have  had  no  imperfection  in  our 
record." — Book  of  Mormon  4 :  8. 


HEBREW  KELICS.  155 

Now  this  remarkable  and  important  claim,  that  one  portion  of 
the  ancient  inhabitants  of  America  were  skilled  in  writing  a  modi- 
fied form  of  the  Hebrew  language,  is  fully  sustained  by  discoveries 
of  such  writing,  made  by  scientists  and  antiquarians  long  since  the 
coming  forth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  these  discoveries  being  in 
nowise  connected  with  the  people  who  believe  in  the  divine  authen- 
ticity of  that  book.  We  first  present  an  article  from  The  Israelite 
Indeed,  a  paper  edited  by  the  late  G.  R.  Lederer,  a  converted  Jew. 
Of  course  we  do  not  endorse  the  groundless  and  absurd  conclusions 
of  the  writer  as  to  how  the  writer,  or  writers,  of  the  described  relic 
came  to  America,  It  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Lederer  perceives  that 
the  Hebrew  in  which  this  relic  is  written  is  "changed"  from  the 
ancient  form  somewhat,  and  yet  it  is  not  in  "the  modern  Hebrew," 
which  would  most  likely  be  the  case  if  a  forgery  were  possible. 
It  will  be  further  seen  that  Mr.  Lederer  thinks  the  writer  of  the 
relic  could  not  have  been  a  Jew,  because  the  Ten  Commandments 
are  there  rendered  differently  than  in  the  Bible.  The  Hebrews  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon  having  slightly  "changed"  the  language, 
which  a  superstitious  Jew  would  not  dare  to  have  done,  it  is  not 
at  all  strange  that  they  should  modify  the  form  and  letter  of  the 
commandments,  though  careful  to  retain  their  essential  import 
and  meaning.  Here  is  the  article  referred  to: 

"HEBREW   RELICS. 

[These  two  inscribed  stones  were  sent  to  New  York  by  their  discoverer  and  proprietor, 
Mr.  David  Wyrick.  of  Newark,  Ohio,  to  Mr.  Dwight,  to  be  submitted  by  him  to  the  examina- 
tion of  the  learned,  accompanied  with  full  accounts  of  the  discovery,  and  maps  and  drawing8 
illustrating  the  place  and  circumstances]. 

"We  suppose  that  many,  if  not  most  of  our  readers  have  seen,  in  religious 
as  well  as  secular  papers,  the  accounts  of  some  relics  which  were  found  a 
few  months  ago  in  a  mound  near  Newark,  Ohio.  These  relics  consist  of 
stones,  in  strange  shapes  bearing  Hebrew  inscriptions,  which  makes  the  case 
particularly  interesting  to  me,  as  a  Hebrew.  I  have  read,  therefore,  with 
great  interest,  all  that  has  been  published  concerning  them,  and  studied  the 
-opinions  of  different  men  of  science  and  learning,  who  have  expressed  them 
in  public  ;  but  I  desired  to  see  the  objects  themselves,  to  put  my  finger  on 
these  relics,  which  bear  inscriptions  of  the  holy  language  which  once  was 
written  with  the  finger  of  God  upon  tables  of  stone  ;  a  language  spoken  and 
written  by  the  prophets  of  Israel,  who  predicted  the  main  features,  not  only 
of  the  history  of  Israel  but  also  of  the  world  at  large.  It  is  one  of  the  pecu- 
liar and  national  characteristics  of  the  Jews,  to  feel  a  sacred  awe  for  that  lan- 
guage, and  even  for  "the  square  characters"  in  which  it  is  written,  so  that 
every  written  or  printed  Hebrew  page  is  called  "Shemos,"  by  which  the  peo- 
ple mean  to  say,  a  paper  on  which  holy  names  are  printed  or  written.  A 
pious  Jew  would  never  use  any  Hebrew  book  or  paper  for  any  secular  pur- 

Eose  whatever,  and  carefully  picks  up  every  bit  and  burns  it,     Being  now, 
y  the  grace  of  God,  an  "Israelite  Indeed,"  believing  in  Him  concerning 


156  HEBREW  RELICS. 

whom  Moses  and  the  prophets  did  write,  that  sacred  language  has  increased 
in  its  charming  influence,  upon  my  mind  ;  this  may  explain  my  anxiety  to 
see  those  relics  with  the  Hebrew  inscriptions,  without,  however,  entertain- 
ing the  least  hope  of  ever  having  that  wish  realized.  This  time,  however, 
I  was  gladly  disappointed;  for,  in  calling  a  few  days  ago  on  my  friend,  Mr, 
Theodore  Dwight  (the  Recording  Secretary  of  the  'American  Ethnological 
Society,'  and  my  associate  in  the  editorship  of  this  Magazine),  my  eyes  met 
with  the  very  objects  of  my  desire.  That  I  examined  these  antiquities  care- 
fully, none  of  our  readers  will,  I  think,  entertain  any  doubt.  I  recognized 
all  the  letters  except  one,  (the  ayin),  though  the  forms  of  many  of  them  are 
different  from  those  now  in  use.  This,  however,  is  not  the  case  with  the  stone 
found  first,  (viz.,  in  July  1860),  which  has  the  form  of  an  ancient  jar,  bear- 
ing Hebrew  inscriptions  on  its  four  sides,  which  are  in  perfectly  such  char- 
acters as  those  generally  in  use  now.  I  can  not  form  any  opinion  concern- 
ing the  use  or  meaning  of  this,  which  was  found  first,  as  the  inscriptions  do 
not  lead  to  any  suggestions  whatever.  They  are  as  follows :  1.  "Debar  Jeho- 
vah," (meaning  the  Word  of  Jehovah).  2.  "Kodesh  Kodeshim"  (The  Holy 
of  Holies).  3.  "Thorath  Jehovali,"  (The  Law  of  Jehovah),  and  4.  "Melek  Aretz," 
(King  of  the  Earth). 

"What  was  it  intended  for?  Is  it  as  some  suppose,  a  relic  of  ancient  Free- 
masonry ?  We  can  not  concur  with  that  idea,  because  the  first  question 
which  would  suggest  itself  to  our  mind  is :  How  did  this  relic  get  into  a 
mound  of  the  ancient  Indians,  and  this,  too,  at  such  a  considerable  depth, 
and  altogether  singular?  We  must  leave  the  solution  of  this  problem  to 
after-days,  when  men  of  industry  and  love  for  antiquities  shall  perhaps  suc- 
ceed in  discovering  more  relics,  by  which  the  present  ones  may  find  an  ex- 
planation. 

"This,  however,  is  not  the  case  with  that  before  mentioned,  which  was 
found  on  the  first  of  November,  last  [18(50],  It  is  evident — at  least  to  my 
mind — that  the  writer,  or  carver,  intended  to  perpetuate  the  essence  of  the 
divine  law,  which  could  not  have  been  done  in  a  better  way  than  by  engrav- 
ing it  on  a  stone,  of  such  a  nature  as  should  l.-e  able  to  resist  all  influences 
of  the  destroying  tooth  of  time.  It  is  also  evident  to  my  mind,  that  the 
writer  was  not  a  Jew  or  an  Israelite,  as  some  suppose,  but  a  proselyte,  one 
who  had  been  taught  by  a  Hebrew,  and  perhaps  converted  to  abandon  his 
idols,  to  believe  in  one  living  and  invisible  God,  and  to  keep  his  command- 
ments. My  reasons  for  believing  the  writer  not  to  have  been  a  Jew,  are 
briefly  these:  1.  The  veneration  which  the  Hebrews  of  all  classes  pay  to 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  particularly  to  the  five  books  of  Moses,  is  so  great 
that  the  slightest  alteration,  even  of  a  point,  is  considered  sinful ;  and  the  roll 
from  which  they  read  in  the  synagogue,  in  which  is  found  any  alteration, 
transposition  of  letter,  or  incorrectness — as,  for  instance,  a  cheth  Instead  of  a 
hay,  must  be  immediately  laid  by,  and  not  allowed  to  be  used,  until  cor- 
rected. A  Hebrew,  therefore,  who  knew  how  to  write  the  Ten  Command- 
ment, would  have  either  written  them  perfectly,  or  not  at  all ;  and  as  there 
are  many  mistakes  in  that  engraving,  some  letters  entirely  wanting,  some 
transposed,  and  some  superfluous,  I  conclude  the  writer  was  not  a;Hebrew.  2. 
The  order,  or  rather  disorder,  in  which  the  Ten  Commandments  are  engraved 
— of  which  we  have  nothing  of  a  similar  kind  elsewhere — proves  that  the 
author  was  not  a  Hebrew.  3.  The  presence  of  a  human  figure,  however,  is 
the  strongest  objection  against  the  suppositon  that  the  writer  was  a  Hebrew. 
Though,  in  more  recent  times,  after  the  invention  of  printing,  the  Jews  be- 
gan to  imitate  the  Gentiles,  in  having  the  figures  of  Moses,  Aaron,  David, 


HEBREW  RELICS.  157 

and  Solomon  on  the  title-pages  of  their  printed  Bibles  and  prayer-books ; 
yet,  in  ancient  days — the  age  when  this  stone  must  have  been  prepared — 
no  Hebrew  would'have  dared  to  carve  any  human  figure,  even  that  of  Moses, 
in  connection  with  the  Ten  Commandments,  That  this  figure  led  to  a  fatal 
mistake,  is  evident  from  the  fact,  that  the  Reverend  and  learned  John  W. 
McCarty,  of  Newark,  Ohio,  who  first  deciphered  and  read  the  inscription, 
read  the  word  Moshe — Moses — over  the  head  of  the  figure,  in  connection 
with  the  next  line  of  the  bas-relief,  commencing :  'Who  brought  thee  out  of 
the  land  of  Egypt ;'  thus  making  Moses  instead  of  Jehovah,  the  real  deliv- 
of  Israel. 

''The  discovery  of  that  very  remarkable  antiquity  confirmed  me  in  my 
opinion,  not  that  the  aborigines  of  America  are  of  Hebrew  descent,  but 
that,  at  some  remote  age  and  in  some  now  unknown  way,  one  or  more  pious 
and  distinguished  Hebrews  came  over  to  this  continent,  became  the  teachers  of 
some  of  the  wild  tribes  of  America,  and  thus  introduced  not  only  the  know- 
ledge of  the  true  and  living  Jehovah,  but  to  some  extent  Jewish,  or  rather 
Mosaic  rites  and  ceremonies  also.  This,  I  think,  is  the  real  reason  why,  after 
the  invasion  of  this  continent  by  the  priest-ridden  and  fanatic  Spaniards  and 
Portuguese,  so  many  things  resembling  Judaism,  and  the  belief  in  one  who  came 
to  enlighten  them,  departed  and  promised  to  come  again,  was  found  among 
the  southern  tribes  of  Indians,  and  all  pictures,  engravings  and  signs  of  it 
were  destroyed  by  superstitious  priests  and  monks. 

"One,  or  a  number  of  those  believing  Indians,  seeing  that  in  the  absence 
of  their  teachers,  the  people  were  falling  gradually  back  into  their  old  Pagan 
habits,  became  alarmed,  and  fearing  that,  in  a  short  time,  all  would  be  for- 
gotten and  lost,  concluded  to  preserve  the  essence  of  faith  at  least,  by  engraving 
it  on  a  table  of  stone.  They  did  it  with  the  best  of  their  knowledge  of  the 
Hebrew  writing,  as  well  as  of  the  construction  of  the  passage. 


that  the  writer  or  writers  had  already  forgotten  much.  Of  one  thing,  howev- 
er, I  am  morally  convinced :  that  this  stone  is  a  genuine  relic  of  antiquity,  as 
it  would  be  a  greater  difficulty  to  believe  in  the  invention  of  such  a  strange 
mixture  of  characters,  disorder  of  combination,  and  innocent  blunders,  than 
to  believe  it  the  handiwork  of  a  generation  long  since  passed  away." — G.  R. 
Lederer,  in  "Israelite  Indeed"  May,  1861. 

We  next  present  our  readers  with  an  article  on  the  same  general 
subject  from  The  Prophetic  Watchman: 

"CURIOUS  RELICS — ANCIENT  ISRAELITES  IN  AMERICA. 

"We  are  all  more  or  less  acquainted  with  the  so-called  'Indian  Mounds.' 
found  in  various  parts  of  our  country.  There  are  hundreds  of  them  in  Ohio 
alone — several  near  Newark,  Licking  Co.  Pipes,  copper  beads  strung  upon 
a  vegetable  fibre,  human  skeletons,  skulls,  bones  of  animals  and  birds,  some 
charred  by  fire,  as  if  they  had  been  sacrificed  upon  a  burning  pile,  have 
been  obtained  from  them.  For  centuries  it  has  been  a  most  interesting  sub- 
ject of  inquiry  as  to  who  built  these  mounds,  and  whence  came  their  build- 
ers. Within  the  past  few  years  some  relics  have  been  discovered,  which 
are  thought  to  throw  light  on  the  subject: 

"The  first  is  a  little  coarse  sandstone,  not  quite  an  inch  and  a  half  high  by 
about  two  inches  long.  It  was  found  in  the  'Wilson  Mound,'  and  bears  the 


158  AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES. 

face  of  a  human  being.  On  the  forehead  are  five  distinct  Hebrew  characters, 
which  are  interpreted  to  mean  :  'May  the  Lord  have  mercy  on  him  (or  me) 
an  untimely  birth,'  evidently  an  expression  of  humiliation. 

"The  second  relic  from  the  same  mound  is  stone  closely  resembling  lime- 
stone. It  is  rather  triangular  than  square  in  its  form,  and  yet  it  differs 
widely  from  both.  It  represents  an  animal,  and  contains  four  human  faces 
and  three  inscriptions  in  flebrew,  signifying  devotion,  reverence  and  natural 
depravity. 

"The  third  stone  was  found  in  1860,  about  three  miles  from  Newark.  It 
has  a  shape  like  a  wedge,  and  is  about  six  inches  long,  tapering  at  the  end. 
On  one  end  is  a  handle,  and  at  the  top  are  four  Hebrew  inscriptions. 

"The  last  relic  is  an  object  of  much  interest.  It  was  found  in  1860,  and 
has  engraved  upon  it  a  figure  of  Moses,  and  the  Ten  Commandments.  One 
side  is  depressed,  and  the  reverse  protrudes.  Over  the  figure  is  a  Hebrew 
word  signifying  'Moses."  The  other  inscriptions  are  almost  literally  the 
the  words  found  in  some  parts  of  the  Bible,  and  the  Ten  Commandments 
are  given  in  part  and  entirely — the  longest  being  abbreviated.  The  alphabet 
used,  it  is  thought,  is  the  original  Hebrew  one,  as  there  are  letters  known  in 
the  Hebrew  alphabet  [not]  now  in  use,  but  bearing  a  resemblance  to  them. 
All  tilings  on  this  stone  point  to  the  time  before  Ezra*  to  the  lost  tribes  of 
Israel,  and  the  theory  is,  that  some  one  of  these  tribes  found  their  way  into 
this  continent,  and  settled  where  the  state  of  Ohio  now  exists." — From  the 
Prophetic  Watchman,  Sep.  14,  1866. 

Our  next  is  the  sura  of  a  lecture  delivered  in  Allegheny  City, 
Pennsylvania,  in  1866: 

"AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES. 

"A  short  time « since  a  notice  was  published  in  the  city  papers  that  there 
would  be  an  exhibition  and  a  lecture  delivered  by  the  Rev.  R.  M.  Miller,  in 
the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Allegheny,  upon  some  Indian  relics  lately 
discovered  in  some  mounds  near  Newark.  Ohio,  containing  Hebrew  inscrip- 
tions, and  as  a  matter  of  course  I  attended  the  lecture,  as  all  Latter  Day 
Saints  'eel  considerable  interest  in  all  the  testimony  pertaining  to  the  an- 
cient inhabitants  of  this  land,  not  because  they  are  any  way  in  the  dark 
upon  the  history  of  the  past  in  relation  to  them,  but  because  additional  tes- 
timony strengthens  the  evidence  in  regard  to  the  divine  authenticity  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  in  which  they  have  perfect  assurance  as  being  a  sacred 
record,  containing  the  covenant  for  the  gathering  of  Israel,  in  conformity 
with  the  testimony  of  the  prophets. 

"The  reverend  gentleman  commenced  his  lecture  by  giving  a  general  de- 
scription of  the  mounds  and  ancient  fortifications  in  Ohio  and  the  western 
country.  He  said  that  it  was  estimated  there  were  in  the  state  of  Ohio, 

*It  appears  that  "the  alphabet  used,  it  is  thought,  is  the  original  Hebrew,"  and  why  do  the 
Hebrew  scholars  who  have  examined  the  inscriptions  only  think  so,  and  why  are  they  not  cer- 
tain about  it?  Evidently  because  there  is  only  in  part  a  resemblance  between  the  letters  in 
these  inscriptions,  and  the  most  ancient  Hebrew  alphabet  of  which  Hebrew  scholars  have  a 
perfect  knowledge.  The  facts  developed  by  these  discoveries,  coincide  perfectly  with  a  state- 
ment of  Mormon  in  Book  of  Mormon  chap.  4,  par.  3,  who  says:  "If  our  plates  had  been  suffi- 
ciently large  we  should  have  written  in  Hebrew,  but  the  Hebrew  hath  been  altered  by  us  also." 
Again,  the  Nephites  and  Zarahemlaites  came  out  from  Jerusalem  just  before  the  time  of  Ezra* 
therefore  the  coincidence  is  but  reasonable. 


HEBREW  RELICS.  159 

alone,  ten  thousand  of  them.  He  gave  a  very  clear  and  distinct  description 
of  the  situation  and  construction  of  several  of  them  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Newark,  Ohio,  from  whence  the  relics  he  exhibited  were  obtained.  I  be- 
lieve the  mounds  were  from  ten  to  twelve  miles  apart,  where  they  were 
found. 

"The  first  piece  he  exhibited  was  a  stone  head,  (or  rather  a  photograph  of 
it),  which  was  cut  oif  of  the  neck,  close  to  the  ears.  On  the  forehead  was 
written  in  Hebrew,  'May  the  Lord  have  mercy  upon  an  untimely  birth/ 
He  gave  it  as  his  opinion  that  the  person  who  had  it  deposited  with  his  re- 
mains, had  been  executed,  perhaps  decapitated.  There  was  charcoal  and 
burnt  bones  of  animals  and  men  in  the  debris.  The  original  is  in  the  pos- 
session of  Mr.  Tennant,  of  Newark,  Ohio.  It  was  found  in  a  mound  three 
miles  from  Newark.  In  the  same  mound  was  found  a  three  cornered  piece, 
upon  which  was  carved  two  human  faces  and  an  animal.  On  the  forehead 
of  one  of  the  figures  of  a  human  face  was  a  phylacter,  in  the  form  of  a  skull, 
upon  which  was  carved  the  letter  used  to  denote  the  name  of  the  Almighty. 
On  the  forehead  of  the  other  carved  human  figure  was  written  in  Hebrew, 
'It  is  good  to  love  the  aged.'  On  the  side  of  the  animal  was  written  in 
Hebrew  something  denoting  natural  depravity.  The  reverend  gentleman 
said  it  was  the  sam*  as  found  in  Jeremiah:  'the  heart  is  deceitful,'  etc.,  [Jere- 
miah 17  : 9.]  Mr.  Strock,  of  Newark,  owns  this. 

"The  third  piece  was  in  the  shape  of  a  wedge.  On  one  side  was  written 
in  Hebrew : 

"First  side.— 'The  Lord  is  king  of  oil  the  earth.' 
"Second  side. — "The  sword  of  the  Lord  is  the  law.' 
"Third  side.— 'The  Holy  of  Holies: 
"Fourth  side. — 'The  Jew  of  life  is  the  Lord  awaking  souls  ' 

"The  fourth  piece  was  what  he  called  a  Teraphim,  a  household  god,  and 
quoted  Judges  17  to  prove  it. 

"This  a  stone  about  eight  inches  long,  three  wide,  and  two  thick.  There 
is  a  depression  on  one  side  of  about  half  an  inch  deep,  and  in  the  depression 
there  is  cut  the  figure  of  a  man  dressed  in  priestly  robes,  and  over  his  head, 
in  the  depression,  is  written  the  word  ''Moses,"  and  in  lines  on  the  back  and 
edges  is  written  in  Hebrew  the  ten  commandments  to  Israel  written  upon  the 
tables  oi  stone  by  the  finger  of  the  Lord,  and  given  to  Moses  upon  the 
mount.  There  is  some  little  difference  between  it  and  the  version  we  have  of 
it  in  the  Bible.  It  is  a  little  more  brief.  For  instance,  it  says,  "Who  brought 
theefrom  the  land  of  bondage,"  and,  "vx  days  shalt  thou  labor."  In  our  version 
we  have  this  addition:  "and  do  all  thy  woik"  These  are  all  I  can  now  re- 
rnember,-but  I  thought  the  brevity  made  them  more  perfect. 

"This  Teraphim  was  found  about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  Newark,  near 
the  base  of  a  very  large  mound.  This  mound  is  composed  of  stones,  and  it 
is  thought  that  20,000  wagon  loads  have  been  carried  away,  to  build  the 
canal  some  years  since.  It  was  400  feet  at  the  base  and  50  feet  high.  Near 
its  base  a  small  mound  was  noticed,  which  was  composed  entirely  of  fire- 
clay, and  some  of  the  men  at  work  in  that  neighborhood,  thought  for  curi- 
osity they  would  dig  into  it,  and  see  if  anything  particular  was  in  it.  The 
person  dug  until  he  came  to  a  piece  of  wood,  upon  which  he  found  some 
copper  beads.  He  took  them  away  and  of  course  exhibited  them.  This 
aroused  the  curiosity  of  another  party,  and  some  two  or  three  persons  went 
and  made  further  search  into  the  fire-clay,  and  upon  lifting  up  the  wood,  it 
proved  to  be  the  lid  of  a  box,  lined  inside  with  some  kind  of  coarse  cloth, 
but  so  entirely  rotten  that  it  crumbled  at  the  touch.  The  box  contained  a 


160  HEBREW  EELICS. 

skeleton  and  what  had  been  a  necklace  of  copper  beads,  but  the  string  was 
also  rotten.  The  party  removed  the  wooden  box,  and  began  to  dig  some 
•deeper.  They  soon  struck  a  stone  box  of  an  oblong  shape,  cemented  together 
in  the  middle.  They  shook  and  found  it  contained  something,  as  it  made  a 
rattle  when  shaken.  They  forced  it  open,  and  found  its  contents  to  be  the 
Teraphim,  or  image,  having  these  Hebrew  inscriptions  upon  it.  If  I  remem- 
ber correctly,  this  was  found  in  the  year  1865,  the  others  some  year  or  two 
before.  This  Teraphirn  is  now  the  property  of  Mr.  David  Johnson,  of 
Coshocton,  Ohio.  The  Rev.  Miller  seems  to  be  a  good  Hebrew  scholar,  as 
he  read  and  criticised  the  language  in  the  presence  of  several  of  the  theo- 
logical professors  of  the  Presbyterian  College,  Allegheny  City.  He  stated 
that  he  had  taken  them  to  Cincinnati,  and  shown  them  to  several  learned 
Rabbis,  and  they  were  agreed  that  the  Hebrew  characters  were  of  a  date  be- 
yond the  time  of  'Ezra.  He  described,  on  a  board,  the  difference  of  the  for- 
mation of  the  letters  before  and  and  after  that  period. 

"I  will  not  repeat  their  theories  and  conjectures  respecting  the  wanderings 
-of  the  Israelites  to  reach  this  land,  but  this  he  said  was  his  conclusion: 

"First, — That  some  of  the  tribes  or  parts  of  tribes  of  Israel  had  once  inhabit- 
ed this  land. 

"Second. — That  they  were  the  mound  builders  ;  but  whether  the  modern 
Indians  are  their  descendants,  or  whether  they  had  destroyed  the  Israelites, 
he  could  not  say  ;  but  if  the  Indians  are  not  the  descendants  of  the  mound 
builders,  but  had  extirpated  them,  then  the  question  remains,  where  did 
these  Indians  come  from?  Who  are  they  ? 

"My  own  conclusion  respecting  these  things  is  that  of  every  Latter  Day 
Saint.  The  relics  were  hid  up,  in  the  providence  of  God,  as  collateral  testi- 
mony of  the  latter  day  work,  and  especially  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

JOSIAH  ELLS." 

PITTSBUKG,  Pa.,  August  12,  i860. 

Now,  from  these  relics  we  learn  just  what  was  claimed  by  the 
Book  of  Mormon  over  thirty  years  before  their  discovery,  (1)  that 
the  ancient  inhabitants  of  America  possessed  a  knowledge  of,  and 
wrote  upon  enduring  substances,  a  modified  form  of  the  Hebrew 
language;  (2)  that  they  possessed  the  writings  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets  up  to  the  times  of  Jeremiah,  including  the  first  part  of 
his  writings  to  chap.  17,  verse  9, — "The  heart  is  deceitful,"  etc. 
For  of  these  records  it  is  said  by  Nephi: 

"My  father,  Lehi,  took  the  records  which  were  engraven  upon  the  plates 
•of  brass,  and  he  did  search  them  from  the  beginning.  And  he  beheld  that 
they  did  contain  the  five  books  of  Moses,  which  gave  an  account  of  the  cre- 
ation of  the  world,  and  also  of  Adam  and  Eve,  who  were  our  first  parents ; 
and  also  a  record  of  the  Jews  from  the  beginning,  even  down  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  king  of  Judah;  and  also  the  prophe- 
cies of  the  holy  prophets,  from  the  beginning,  even  down  to  the  commence- 
ment of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah ;  and  also  many  prophecies  which  have  been 
spoken  by  the  mouth  of  Jeremiah" — 1  Nephi  1 :46. 

We  find  (3)  that  these  sacred  writings  were  hidden  up  in  "a 
stone  box,"  as  were  the  plates  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  Here, 
then,  is  a  chain  of  evidence  in  support  of  the  claims  of  the  Book 


AMERICAN  ANTIQUITIES.  161 

of  Mormon  that  is  as  strong  as  it  is  strange,  and  one  that  can  not 
fail  to  fasten  conviction  upon  the  mind  of  the  unprejudiced  en- 
quirer, while  it  joyfully  confirms  the  faith  of  the  believer.  But 
we  have  not  done  with  this  language  question.  In  our  quotation 
from  1  Nephi,  1:1,  we  see  that  the  ancient  Hebrews  on  this  con- 
tinent were  not  only  skilled  in  writing  Hebrew,  but  also  in  "the 
language  of  the  Egyptians."  It  is  stated  in  Mosiah  1:1,  that  Le- 
hi  had  been  "taught  in  the  language  of  the  Egyptians,"  and  that 
he  taught  the  same  to  his  children;  and  in  Book  of  Mormon  4:  8, 
Moroni  informs  us  that  he  wrote  the  entire  record  from  which  the 
Book  of  Mormon  was  translated,  "in  the  characters  which  are 
called  among  us  the  reformed  Egyptian."  Now  when  we  find  by 
testimony  outside  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  that  the  ancient  in- 
habitants of  America  possessed  a  knowledge  of  Egyptian  hiero- 
glyphics, and  sculpturing,  and  architecture,  we  have  another  strong 
evidence  of  the  divinity  of  that  book.  This  evidence  we  have 
presented,  in  part,  on  pages  153  to  158,  and  we  now  give  more. 
Mr.  Delafield  says,  in  his  Antiquities  of  America,  page  41: 

"Still  further  and  more  important  evidence,  however,  renders  the  point 
conclusive  that  southern  Asia  was  the  birth-place  of  this  [Ancient  American] 
people,  as  we  detect  among  them  actual  traditions  of  the  flood,  the  building 
of  Babel,  and  the  death  of  Abel." 

Again: 

"One  of  the  most  interesting  sources  of  comparison  between  Mexico,  Peru, 
and  Egypt,  is  to  be  found  in  an  investigation  of  their  hieroglyphic  system.  Each 
of  these  countries  had  a  peculiar  method  of  recording  events  by  means  of 
hieroglyphic  signs,  sculpturing  them  on  monuments  and  buildings,  and  por- 
traying them  on  papyrus  and  maguey." — p.  42. 

Further: 

"Baron  Humboldt  considers  the  Mexican  paintings  as  rather  correspond- 
ing with  the  hieratic  than  the  hieroglyphic  writings  of  the  Egyptians,  as 
found  on  the  rolls  of  papyrus  in  the  swathings  of  the  mummies,  and  which 
may  be  considered  paintings  of  a  mixed  kind,  because  they  unite  symboli- 
cal and  isolated  characters  with  the  representation  of  an  action.  It  is  the 
opinion  of  the  author  that  further  investigations  and  discoveries  in  deciper- 
ing  Mexican  hieroglyphic  paintings  will  exhibit  a  close  analogy  to  the 
Egyptian  in  the  use  of  two  scriptural  systems  ;  the  one  for  monumental 
inscription,  the  other  for  the  ordinary  purposes  of  record  and  transmission 
of  information.  We  find  the  three  species  of  hieroglyphics  common  to  Mexico 
and  Egypt." — p.  46. 

On  page  65,  Mr.  Delafield  reviews: 

•'The  analogical  evidence  of  an  identity  of  the  family  of  Mexico  and  Peru 
with  that  of  Hindostan  or  Egypt,  to  simplify  which  we  name  the  several 
coincidences,  which  have  been  specified  in  their  proper  order : 
11 


162  HIEROGLYPHIC  WEITING. 

"I.  PHILOLOGICAL.    The  various  analogies  in  language. 

"II.  ANATOMICAL.  The  peculiar  craniological  formation  common  to  those 
countries,  as  asserted  by  Dr.  Warren. 

"III.  MYTHOLOGICAL.  The  existence  of  two  peculiar  modes  of  worship, 
[that  of  Nephites  and  Lamanites  ?]  addressed  to  two  deities ;  one  sanguinary, 
the  other  peaceful.  *  * 

"IV.  HIEROGLYPHIC.  The  use  of  three  peculiar  systems  of  hieroglyphic 
writing  of  the  Egyptians. 

"V.  ASTRONOMICAL.  1.  Identity  in  the  division  of  the  year,  month,  and 
week  ;  and  the  calculations  thereof.  2.  Identity  in  the  use  of  intercalary  days. 
3.  Identity  in  zodiacal  signs. 

"VI.  ARCHITECTURAL.  1.  Identity  in  sepulchral  tumuli  [mounds  for  bur- 
ial]. 2.  Identity  in  pyramidal  temples.  3.  In  the  uses  of  these  temples.  4. 
In  the  mechanical  power  which  enabled  them  to  move  masses  that  no  other 
races  have  ever  accomplished.  5.  Their  use  of  hieroglyphic  sculpture  on  all 
their  sacred  buildings.  6.  Similarity  in  zodiacal  and  planispheric  carvings. 
7.  Identity  in  sepulchral  ornaments. 

"VII.  Identity  in  practice  of  embalming  and  preservation  of  the  royal 
corpses." 

The  Ancient  Nephites  and  Zaraheralaites  were,  no  doubt,  not  only 
acquainted  with  the  language,  but  also  with  much  about  the  habits, 
customs,  arts,  and  sciences  peculiar  to  Egypt;  for  the  Israelites,  in  all 
their  history  from  Abraham  to  King  Zedekiah,  and  afterwards,  had 
direct  and  intimate  intercourse  with  the  Egyptians.  Therefore  it  is 
not  strange  that  we  find  in  Mexico  and  Peru,  as  stated  by  Mr. 
Delafield,  these  evidences  of  Egyptian  art  and  manners,  especially 
that  of  hieroglyphic  writing.  In  conclusion  upon  this  point  we 
have  only  to  say  that  the  claim  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  that  the 
ancient  inhabitants  of  America  were  skilled  in  Egyptian  language, 
is  now  fully  vindicated.  And  here  we  have  another  unanswerable 
proof  of  the  truth  of  that  book. 

Further  proof  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  seen  in  its  statements 
that  highly  civilized  and  cultivated  peoples  lived  anciently  in  the 
northern  part  of  South  America,  Central  America,  and  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  North  America,  where  they  builded  very  large  and 
splendid  cities,  especially  in  Central  America,  and  near  "the  nar- 
row neck  of  land"  (Isthmus  of  Panama),  making  these  statements 
when  little  or  nothing  was  known  to  the  generality  of  mankind  in 
respect  to  the  last  named  region.  Since  the  coming  forth  of  the 
book,  the  discoveries  of  Stephens  and  Catherwood,  and  others, 
have  disclosed  the  fact  that  in  the  very  regions  where  the  Book  of 
Mormon  locates  them,  there  were  many  magnificient  cities  built  up 
by  the  ancients.  Up  to  the  time  of  the  discoveries  by  Stephens 
and  Catherwood,  in  1839-1843,  that  region  known  as  Central 
America  was  not  supposed  to  contain  any  interesting  antiquites, 
though  something  had  been  learned  in  regard  to  the  antiquities  of 


THE  CROSS.  163 

Peru,  and  of  Mexico.  It  remained  for  these  gentlemen  to  bring 
to  light  rich  treasures  of  information  in  respect  to  the  ancient  civi- 
lizations of  that  region,  and  to  disclose  to  the  world  the  fact  that 
there  had  been  the  theatre  of  the  grandest  industries,  and  the  site 
of  some  of  the  most  cultivated,  opulent,  and  enlightened  nations  of 
all  antiquity.  For  ten  or  twelve  years  the  Book  of  Mormon  had 
been  quietly  proclaiming  these  facts  when  its  statements  were  fully 
confirmed  by  these  timely  discoveries. 

Who  is  there  so  blind  as  not  to  see  the  overruling  hand  of  God 
in  these  things!  Such  coincidences  are  not  the  result  of  chance. 
They  exhibit  too  clearly  the  work  of  an  All-wise  Mind,  to  be  so 
considered.  Mr.  Stephens,  in  his  "  Central  America,  Chiapas,  and 
Yucatan"  vol.  1,  p.  98,  says: 

"Of  the  great  cities  beyond  the  vale  of  Mexico,  buried  in  forests,  rained, 
desolate,  and  without  a  name,  Humboldt  never  heard,  or,  at  least,  he  never 
visited  them.  It  is  but  lately  [Mr.  Stephens  writes  in  1841]  that  accounts  of 
their  existence  reached  Europe  and  our  own  country.  These  accounts,  how- 
ever vague  and  unsatisfactory,  had  roused  our  cunsoity ;  though  I  ought 
perhaps  to  say  that  both  Mr.  C.  and  I  were  somewhat  skeptical,  and  when 
we  arrived  at"  Copan,  it  was  with  the  hope,  rather  than  the  expectation,  of 
finding  wonders." 

But  it  was  not  long  before  their  labors  were  rewarded  in  dis- 
covering the  ruins  of  many  ancient  cities,  which  have  been  visited 
since  by  many  other  antiquarians. 

THE  CROSS. 

Another  evidence  in  favor  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  seen  in  the 
fact  that  it  teaches,  in  Alma  16:  26,  and  in  Ether  1:11,  and  else- 
where, that  the  ancient  inhabitants  of  America  knew  concerning 
the  crucifixion  of  Christ,  both  by  revelation  and  by  history,  and 
were  therefore  acquainted  with  the  cross  as  a  religious  symbol  ; 
and  in  the  further  fact  that  the  antiquities  of  America  disclose 
that  the  cross  was  so  used  by  the  ancients.  Baldwin,  in  "Ancient 
America"  mentions  this  fact  on  pages  109,  110,  and  293.  Stephens 
does  also,  in  his  "Central  America"  vol.  2,  p.  347,  and  elsewhere. 
The  testimony  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  of  the  antiquities  of 
America,  are  one  upon  this  point ;  the  latter  and  the  latest  con- 
firming the  former. 

IPOLATORS. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  states  that  many  of  the  ancient  inhabitants 
of  America  became  idolators  (book  of  Mormon  2:3),  and  the  dis- 
coveries of  American  antiquarians  fully  confirm  this. 


164  CRUCIFIXION. 

GOLD,    SILVER,    &C. 

It  also  states  that  America  abounds  with  gold,  silver,  and  many 
other  precious  metals;  and  discoveries  since  1849  give  special  con- 
firmation to  this  claim.  And  here  we  may  remark  that  America,  the 
Book  of  Mormon  claims,  is  the  special  heritage  of  Joseph  and  his 
posterity,  as  provided  for  in  the  prophetic  blessing  of  Jacob  (Gen. 
49:  22-26,  with  Gen.  48:  16-19),  and  the  prophet  blessing  of  Moses 
also  (Deut,  33:  13-17).  Moses  says  of  Joseph; 

"Blessed  of  the  Lord  be  his  land,  for  the  precious  things  of  heaven  [the 
revealed  will  of  God],  and  for  the  dew  [its  universal  distribution],  and  for 
the  deep  that  coucheth  beneath  [springs,  rivers,  lakes,  seas,  and  their  pro- 
ducts], and  for  the  precious  fruits  brought  forth  by  the  sun  [by  the  action  of 
its  light  in  the  vegetable  kingdom],  and  for  the  precious  things  put  forth  by 
the  moon  [in  the  action  of  its  light  upon  the  vegetable  kingdom  and  in  re- 
spect to  the  tides],  and  for  the  chief  things  of  the  ancient  mountains,  and 
for  the  precious  things  of  the  lasting  hills  [their  various  metals,  minerals, 
etc.],  and  for  the  precious  things  of  the  earth  and  fulness  thereof  [embrac- 
ing the  animal,  vegetable,  and  mineral  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  in  their  'ful- 
ness'], and  for  the  good  will  of  him  that  dwelt  in  the  bush  [the  Lord — 
.see  Acts  7:30-34]." 

Joseph's  portion  in  Palestine  could  never  fill  this  description, 
but  the  land  of  America,  and  that  alone,  does.  The  "precious 
things  of  the  ancient  mountains"  used  in  building  and  beautifying 
the  temple  of  Solomon  did  not  come  from  Joseph's  portion  in 
Judea,  yet  they  undoubtedly  would  had  they  been  there. 
Joseph's  portion  in  Palestine  was  not  the  "land"  alluded  to  for  an- 
other reason,  it  did  not  lie  in  the  right  place  ;  for  Jacob  said  it 
should  be  "unto  the  utmost  [the  outermost,  the  farthest,  the  ex- 
treme] bound  of  the  everlasting  hills"  (Gen.  49:  26).  To  go  from 
Goshen,  in  Egypt,  where  Jacob  was  when  utttering  this  prophecy, 
to  "the  utmost  bound  of  the  everlasting  hills,"  would  bring  us  to 
the  mountain  ranges  of  America,  to  the  land  claimed  for  Joseph  by 
the  book  of  Mormon.  And  that  America  is  the  special  portion  of 
Joseph  may  be  gathered  from  the  prophetic  blessing  put  by  Jacob 
upon  the  seed  of  Joseph,  as  follows: 

"And,  he  blessed  Joseph,  and  said,  God,  before  whom  my  fathers,  Abra- 
ham and  Isaac  did  walk,  the  God  which  fed  me  all  my  life  long  unto  this 
day,  the  Angel  which  redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads ;  and  let  my 
name  be  named  on  them,  and  the  name  of  my  fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac; 
and  let  them  [Ephraim  and  Manasseh]  grow  into  a  multitude  in  the  midst 
of  the  earth." 

"The  midst  of  the  earth"  geographically  considered,  measuring 
from  where  Jacob  pronounced  this  blessing,  would  be  the  land  of 
America,  precisely.  Nor  is  this  all;  Jacob  predicts  in  verse  19, 


CRUCIFIXION.  165 

that  Ephraim's  "seed  shall  become  a  multitude  of  nations."  In 
America  we  find  "a  multitude  of  nations"*  of  one  common  stock, 
whose  traditions,  religious  rites  and  customs,  language  and  lan- 
guage relics,  clearly  demonstrate  their  Israelitish  origin;  and  we 
find  them  in  the  very  place  marked  in  prophecy  as  the  land  of  Jo- 
seph and  his  seed.  Here  is  another  strong  proof  of  the  truth  of 
the  Book  of  Mormon.  Its  claims  in  this  respect  are  well  sustained 
by  the  facts  of  both  prophecy  and  history. 

CRUCIFIXION — CITIES  SUNK. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  states  that  at  the  crucifixion  of  Christ  the 
face  of  the  land  in  Central  America,  and  around  it,  was  broken  up 
by  earthquakes,  and  that  many  cities  were  sunk. — Book  of  Nephi 
4:  2-6.  Evidences  of  such  a  catastrophe  have  been  of  late  discov- 
ered. Baldwin,  in  "Ancient  America"  pages  274  and  275,  says 
that  James  S.  Wilson,  Esq.,  in  1860,  "discovered  on  the  coast  of 
Ecuador,  ancient  or  fossil  pottery  vessels,  images,  and  other  man- 
ufactured articles,  all  finely  wrought.  Some  of  these  articles  were 
made  of  gold.  The  most  remarkable  fact  connected  with  them  is 
that  they  were  taken  from  'a  stratum  of  ancient  surface-earth, 
which  was  covered  with  a  marine  deposit  six  feet  thick. 
The  ancient  surface-earth  or  vegetable  mould,  with  its  pottery, 
gold-work,  and  other  relics  of  civilized  human  life,  was,  therefore, 
below  the  sea  when  that  marine  deposit  was  spread  over  it.  This 
land,  after  being  occupied  by  men,  had  subsided  and  settled  below 
the  ocean,  remained  there  long  enough  to  accumulate  the  marine 
deposit,  and  again  be  elevated  to  its  former  position  above  the  lev- 
el of  the  sea."  Of  these  discoveries,  Sir  Roderick  Murchison,  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Royal  Geological  Society,  in  1862,  says: 

"The  discoveries  which  Mr.  Wilson  has  made  of  the  existence  of  the 
works  of  man  in  a  stratum  of  mould  beneath  the  sea  level,  and  covered  by 
several  feet  of  clay,  the  phenomenon  being  persistent  for  sixty  miles,  are  of 
the  highest  interest  to  physical  geographers  and  geologists.  The  facts  seem 
to  demons' rate  that,  within  the  human  period,  the  lands  of  the  west  coast  of 
Equatorial  America  were  depressed  and  submerged,  and  that,  after  the  accu- 

*  The  Book  of  Mormon  states  that  Lehi  was  of  Manasseh,  and  some  argue  thence  that  "the 
multitude  of  nations"  found  in  America  can  not  be  in  any  sense  of  Ephraim.  We  would  re- 
mind such  reasoners  that  the  seed  of  Ishmael  and  his  sons,  and  of  Zorarn,  who  accompanied 
Lehi,  and  the  seed  of  those  who  accompanied  Mulek,  who  finally  became  blended  with  the  Ne- 
phites  and  Lamanites,  may  all  have  been  of  the  lineage  of  Ephraim.  This  is  neither  impossi- 
ble nor  improbable.  This,  if  true,  would  give  large  preponderance  to  Ephraim.  Besides  this 
Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  together,  were  sometimes  called  Ephraim. — Hosea  5:  3,  13;  6:  4,  10; 
Isaiah  7:  8,  etc.,  etc.  And  this  is  not  strange  when  we  remember  that  Jacob  "set  Ephraim  be- 
fore Manasseh."— Gen.  48:  20. 


166  HORSE,— ELEPHANT. 

mulation  of  marine  clays  above  the  terrestrial  relics,  the  whole  coast  was 
elevated  to  its  present  position." 

Now  we  submit,  that,  when  these  lands  were  "depressed  and 
submerged"  it  was  done,  not  gradually,  but  suddenly,  as  the  pres- 
ence of  these  valuable  relics  attests.  Had  they  been  depressed 
gradually,  through  a  lapse  of  years,  or  months,  or  even  weeks, 
these  valuables  would  have  been  removed  to  places  of  safety. 
But  the  presence,  under  this  marine  deposit,  of  "fossil  pottery,  ves- 
sels, images,"  "all  finely  wrought"  and  "some  of  the  articles  made 
of  gold,"  demonstrates  that  the  catastrophe  by  which  they  were 
sunken  and  overwhelmed,  was  as  sudden  as  that  which  buried 
Herculaneum  and  Pompeii. 

The  Book  of  Mormon,  we  see,  tells  us  of  the  sudden  depression 
and  submergence  of  lands,  towns,  and  cities,  in  these  very  regions, 
and  now  travelers  and  antiquarians,  after  the  coming  forth  of  that 
book,  and  near  2000  years  after  the  marvellous  event  occurred, 
find  abundant  evidence  to  confirm  the  statement.  Hence,  in  this, 
we  find  another  remarkable  proof  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 

HORSE,  CAMEL,  ELEPHANT,  ETC. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  states  that  there  were  horses  on  this  con- 
tinent more  than  3,800  years  ago. — Ether  4:  3.  Now  it  was  com- 
monly thought  at  the  time  when  the  Book  of  Mormon  was  first 
given  to  the  world,  that  there  were  no  horses  in  America  till  they 
were  brought  by  the  Spaniards  in  the  sixteenth  century.  But  re- 
cent discoveries  of  the  fossil  remains  of  the  horse,  in  many  places 
in  America,  go  to  confirm  the  statements  of  the  Book  of  Mormon. 
Prof.  Winchell,  in  his  "Sketches  of  Creation"  page  210,  says: 

"It  is  a  curious  fact  that  so  many  generi,  now  extinct  from  the  Continent, 
but  living  in  other  quarters  of  the  globe,  were  once  abundant  on  the  plains 
of  North  America.  Various  species  of  the  horse  have  dwelt  here  for  ages, 
and  the  question  reasonably  arises  whether  the  wild  horses  of  the  Pampas 
may  not  have  been  indigenous.  Here,  too,  the  camel  found  a  suitable 
home." 

Recently  discoveries  have  been  made  of  the  fossil  remains  of 
the  horse  and  some  of  the  other  animals  mentioned  in  the  Book  of 
Mormon.  A  correspondent  of  the  Eugene  City  (Oregon)  Guard 
gives  the  following  occount  of  a  visit  made  June,  1877,  by  him- 
self and  another  person  to  the  so-called  fossil  beds  of  Lake  county, 
that  State: 

*  *  *  "We  found  fossil  bones  of  the  elephant,  camel,  horse,  and  elk,  or 
reindeer,  the  horse  being  much  more  abundant  than  either  of  the  others, 
but  all  being  so  clearly  marked  as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  their  identity. 
There  were  other  bones,  apparently  of  large  animals,  but  your  correspond- 


BABYLON— DIVISION.  167 

ent  was  unable  to  name  the  animal  they  once  belonged  to.  Among  the  fos- 
sils found,  the  smaller  quadrupeds  had  a  representation ;  bones  answering 
to  the  fox  and  wolf  were  found ;  also  others  answering  to  the  sheep  or  goat 
in  size  and  appearance." 

This  affords'good  proof,  from  the  fact  that  the  book  stated  what 
was  contrary  to  the  then  common  belief,  and  subsequent  discov- 
eries confirm  that  apparently  false  statement. 

DOWNFALL  OF  BABYLON. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  predicts  the  rapid  downfall  of  "the  great 
and  abominable  church"  after  the  coming  forth  of  that  book: 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  beheld  that  the  wrath  of  God  was  poured  out 
upon  the  great  and  abominable  church,  insomuch  that  there  were  wars  and 
rumors  of  wars  among  all  the  nations  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  and  as 
there  began  to  be  wars  and  rumors  of  wars  among  all  the  nations  which  be- 
longed to  the  mother  oi  abominations,  the  angel  spake  unto  me,  saying,  Be- 
hold, the  wrath  of  God  is  upon  the  mother  of  harlots;  and  behold,  thouseest 
all  these  things;  and  when  the  day  cometh  that  the  wrath  of  God  is  poured 
out  upon  the  mother  of  harlots,  which  is  the  great  and  abominable  church 
of  all  the  earth,  whose  foundation  is  the  devil,  then,  at  that  day,  the  work 
of  the  Father  shall  commence,  in  preparing  the  way  for  the  fulfilling  of  his 
covenants,  which  he  hath  made  to  his  people,  who  are  of  the  house  of  Isra- 
el."—1  Nephi  3:51. 

"And  after  our  seed  is  scattered,  the  Lord  God  will  proceed  to  do  a  mar- 
velous work  among  the  Gentiles,  which  shall  be  of  great  worth  unto  our 
seed;  wherefore,  it  is  likened  unto  their  being  nourished  by  the  Gentiles, 
and  being  carried  in  their  arms  and  upon  their  shoulders.  And  it  shall  also 
be  of  worth  unto  the  Gentiles :  and  not  only  unto  the  Gentiles,  but  unto 
all  the  house  of  Israel,  unto  the  making  known  of  the  covenants  of  the  Fath- 
er of  heaven  unto  Abraham,  saying,  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kindreds  of 
the  earth  be  blessed.  And  I  would,  my  brethren,  that  ye  should  know  that 
all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  can  not  be  blessed,  unless  he  shall  make  bare 
his  arm  in  the  eyes  of  the  nations.  Wherefore,  the  Lord  God  will  proceed 
to  make  bare  his  arm  in  the  eyes  of  all  the  nations,  in  bringing  about  his 
covenants  and  his  gospel,  unto  those  who  are  of  the  house  of  Israel. 
Wherefore,  he  will  bring  them  again  out  of  captivity,  and  they  shall  be 
gathered  together  to  the  lands  of  their  inheritance :  and  they  shall  be 
brought  out  of  obscurity,  and  out  of  darkness:  and  they  shall  know  that  the 
Lord  is  their  Savior  and  their  Redeemer,  the  mighty  one  of  Israel.  And 
the  blood  of  that  great  and  abominable  church,  which  is  the  whore  of  all 
the  earth,  shall  turn  upon  their  own  heads;  for  they  shall  war  among  them- 
selves, and  the  sword  of  their  own  hands  shall  fall  upon  their  own  heads, 
and  they  shall  be  drunken  with  their  own  blood.  And  every  nation  which 
shall  war  against  thee,  O  house  of  Israel,  shall  be  turned  one  against 
another,  and  they  shall  fall  into  the  pit  which  they  digged  to  ensnare  the 
people  of  the  Lord." — 1  Nephi  7:2. 

That  this  is  particularly  true  of  the  Papacy,  one  chief  division 
of  the  great  and  abominable  church,  all  may  know  who  seek  to 
inform  themselves.  The  shock  it  received  by  the  "Young  Italy" 


168  LATTER  DAY  INIQUITY. 

party  under  Mazzini  and  others  in  1831,  and  afterward;  the  damag- 
ing blows  it  sustained  in  1848-9,  at  the  hands  of  the  Provisional 
Government  and  the  Roman  National  Assembly;  the  wounds  it 
received  in  1864  by  means  of  the  Pope's  Encyclial  letter;  and  the 
rapid  decline  of  that  form  of  religion  in  all  its  former  strong-holds 
(except  the  United  States,  where  its  extreme  and  rigorous  doc- 
trines and  administrations  are  found  greatly  modified)  since  the 
king  of  Italy,  in  August,  1870,  wrenched  from  the  hand  of  the 
Pope  the  sceptre  of  civil  power,  has  left  that  church  broken, 
divided,  and  tottering  to  its  final  fall.  And  there  is  not,  prob- 
ably, one  Catholic  nation  that  has  not  been  engaged  in  war  since 
1830.  In  these  things  the  predictions  of  the  book  prove  true. 

GATHERING  OF  ISRAEL. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  predicts,  1  Nephi  7:2;  2  Nephi  5:5;  11: 
3;  12:  13;  Nephi  2:  12;  10:  1;  Mormon  1:  9;  2:  6,  etc.,  etc.,  that 
soon  after  the  coming  forth  of  that  book  the  Lord  will  begin  to 
prepare  the  way  for  the  speedy  restoration  and  gathering  of  Israel 
— including  the  Jews.  The  interest  taken  by  England,  France, 
and  America  in  the  civilization  and  enlightenment,  of  the  aborig- 
ines of  America  and  of  the  adjacent  islands,  the  restored  state  of 
the  land  of  Judea,  and  the  highly  improved  and  favored  condition 
of  the  Jews,  go  very  far  to  confirm  the  truth  of  these  remarkable 
predictions. 

DIVISION LOOSENING    BANDS. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  predicts  that  soon  after  its  coming  forth 
"the  Lord  God  shall  cause  a  great  division  among  the  people;  and 
the  wicked  will  he  destroy;  and  he  will  spare  his  people,  yea,  even 
if  it  so  be  that  he  must  destroy  the  wicked  by  fire." — 2  Nephi  12: 
14.  And  now  we  see  division  everywhere,  in  all  departments  of 
society,  especially  in  matters  of  religion,  politics  and  civil  govern- 
ment, and  between  labor  and  capital. 

PREDICTIONS. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  predicts  with  clearness  the  corrupt  state 
of  the  world  as  it  is  to-day,  and  the  means  by  which  it  is  caused: 

"And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  those  who  have  dwindled  in  unbelief, 
shall  be  smitten  by  the  hand  <-f  the  Gentiles.  And  the  Gentiles  are  lifted 
up  in  the  pride  of  their  eyes,  and  have  stumbled,  because  of  the  greatness 
of  their  stumbling  block,  that  they  have  built  up  many  churches;  neverthe- 
less they  put  down  the  power  and  the  miracles  of  God,  and  preach  up  unto 
themselves  their  own  wisdom,  and  their  own  learning,  that  they  may  get 
gain,  and  grind  upon  the  face  of  the  poor;  and  there  are  many  churches  built 
up  which  cause  envyings,  and  strifes,  and  malice;  and  there  are  also  secret 


LATTER  DAY  INIQUITY.  169 

combinations,  even  as  in  times  of  old,  according  to  the  combinations  of  the 
devil,  for  he  is  the  foundation  of  all  these  things;  yea,  the  foundation  of 
murder  and  works  of  darkness,  yea,  and  he  leadeth  them  by  the  neck  with 
a  flaxen  cord,  until  he  bindeth  them  with  his  strong  cords  forever.  For  be- 
hold, my  beloved  brethren,  I  say  unto  you,  that  the  Lord  God  worketh  not 
in  darkness.  He  doeth  not  anything  save  it  be  for  the  benefit  of  the  world; 
for  he  loveth  the  world,  even  that  he  layeth  down  his  own  life  that  he  may 
draw  all  men  unto  him.  Wherefore,  he  commandeth  none  that  they  shall 
not  partake  of  his  salvation.  Behold,  doth  he  cry  unto  any,  saying,  Depart 
from  me?  Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Nay ;  but  hesaith,  Come  unto  me  all  ye 
ends  of  the  earth,  buy  milk  and  honey,  without  money  and  without  price. 
Behold,  hath  he  commanded  any  that  they  should  depart  out  of  the  syna- 
gogues, or  out  of  the  houses  of  worship?  Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Nay. 
Hath  he  commanded  any  that  they  should  not  partake  of  his  salvation? 
Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Nay;  but  he  hath  given  it  free  for  all  men;  and  he 
hath  commanded  his  people  that  they  should  persuade  all  men  to  repent- 
ance. Behold,  hath  the  Lord  commanded  any  that  they  should  not  partake 
of  his  goodness?  Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  Nay ;  but  all  men  are  privileged 
the  one  like  unto  the  other,  and  none  are  forbidden.  He  commandeth  that 
there  shall  be  no  priestcrafts;  for,  behold,  priestcrafts  are  men  that  preach 
and  set  themselves  up  for  a  light  unto  the  world,  that  they  may  get  gain, 
and  praise  of  the  world;  but  they  seek  not  the  welfare  of  Zion.  Behold, 
the  Lord  hath  forbidden  this  thing;  wherefore,  the  Lord  God  hath  given  a 
commandment,  that  all  men  should  have  charity,  which  charity  is  love. 
And  except  they  should  have  charity,  they  were  nothing:  wherefore,  if 
they  should  have  charity,  they  would  'not  suffer  the  laborer  in  Zion  to  per- 
ish. But  the  laborer  in  Zion  shall  labor  for  Zion ;  for  if  they  labor  for 
money,  they  shall  perish.  And,  again,  the  Lori  God  hath  commanded  that 
men  should  not  murder;  that  they  should  not  lie;  that  they  should  not 
steal;  that  they  should  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  their  God  in  vain  ; 
that  they  should  not  envy ;  that  they  should  not  have  malice;  that  they 
should  not  contend  one  with  another;  that  they  should  not  commit  whore- 
doms ;  and  that  they  should  do  none  of  these  things  ;  for  whoso  doeth  them 
shall  perish  ;  for  none  of  these  iniquities  come  of  the  Lord;  for  he  doeth 
that  which  is  good  among  the  children  of  men  ;  and  he  doeth  nothing  save 
it  be  plain  unto  the  children  of  men ;  and  he  inviteth  them  all  to  come 
unto  him,  and  partake  of  his  goodness;  and  hedenieth  none  that  come  unto 
him,  black  and  white,  bond  and  free,  male  and  female  ;  and  he  remember- 
eth  the  heathen,  and  all  are  alike  unto  God,  both  Jew  and  Gentile.  But 
behold,  in  the  last  days,  or  in  the  days  of  the  Gentiles;  yea,  behold  all  the 
nations  of  the  Gentiles,  and  also  the  Jews,  both  those  who  shall  come  upon 
this  land,  and  those  who  shall  be  upon  other  lands  ;  yea,  even  upon  all  the 
lands  of  the  earth ;  behold  they  will  be  drunken  with  iniquity  and  all  man- 
ner of  abominations :  and  when  that  day  shall  come,  they  shall  he  visited 
of  the  Lord  of  hosts  with  thunder  and  with  earthquake,  and  with  a  great 
noise,  and  with  storm  and  with  tempest,  and  with  the  flame  of  devouring 
fire;  and  all  the  nations  that  fight  against  Zion,  and  that  distress  her,  shall 
be  as  a  dream  of  a  night  vision  ;  yea,  it  shall  be  unto  them  even  as  unto  a 
hungry  man  which  dreameth,  and  behold  he  eateth,  but  he  awaketh  and 
his  soul  is  empty;  or  like  unto  a  thirsty  man  which  dreameth,  and  behold 
he  drinketh,  but  he  awaketh,  and  behold  he  is  faint,  and  his  soul  hath 
appetite :  yea,  even  so  shall  the  multitude  of  all  the  nations  be  that  fight 
against  mount  Zion:  for  behold,  all  ye  that  do  iniquity,  stay  yourselves  and 


1 70  SIGNS— INIQUITIES. 

wonder;  for  ye  shall  cry  out,  and  cry;  yea,  ye  shall  be  drunken,  but  not 
with  wine;  ye  shall  stagger,  but  not  not  with  strong  drink;  for  behold,  the 
Lord  hath  poured  out  upon  you  the  spirit  of  deep  sleep.  For  behold,  ye 
have  closed  your  eyes,  and  ye  have  rejected  the  prophets,  and  your  rulers, 
and  the  seers  hath  he  covered  because  of  your  iniquity." — 2  Nephi  11:14, 
15,  16. 

"And  now,  behold,  my  brethren,  I  have  spoken  unto  you  according  as  the 
Spirit  hath  constrained  me  ;  wherefore  I  know  that  they  must  surely  come 
to  pass.  And  the  things  which  shall  be  written  out  of  the  book  shall  be  of 
great  worth  unto  the  children  of  men,  and  especially  unto  our  seed,  which 
is  a  remnant  of  the  house  of  Israel.  For  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day, 
that  the  churches  which  are  built  up,  and  not  unto  the  Lord,  when  the  one 
shall  say  unto  the  other,  Behold,  I,  I  am  the  Lord's;  and  the  other  shall 
say,  I,  I  am  the  Lord's.  And  thus  shall  every  one  say,  that  hath  built  up 
churches,  and  not  unto  the  Lord  ;  and  they  shall  contend  one  with  another ; 
and  their  priests  shall  contend  one  with  another;  and  they  shall  teach  with 
their  learning,  and  deny  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  giveth  utterance.  And 
they  deny  the  power  of  God,  the  Holy  One  of  Israel;  and  they  say  unto  the 
people,  Hearken  unto  us,  and  hear  ye  our  precept;  for  behold,  there  is  no 
God  to-day,  for  the  Lord  and  Redeemer  hath  done  his  work,  and  he  hath 
given  his  power  unto  men.  Behold,  hearken  ye  unto  my  precept:  if  they 
shall  say  there  is  a  miracle  wrought  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  believe  it  not; 
for  this  day  he  is  not  a  God  of  miracles ;  he  hath  done  his  work.  Yea,  and 
there  shall  be  many  which  shall  say,  Eat,  drink,  and  be  merry,  for  to-mor- 
row we  die,  and  it  shall  be  well  with  us.  And  there  shall  also  be  many 
which  shall  say,  Eat,  drink  and  be  merry;  nevertheless,  fear  God,  he  will 
justify  in  committing  a  little  sin:  yea,  lie  a  little,  take  the  advantage  of  one 
because  of  his  words,  dig  a  pit  for  thy  neighbor  ;  there  is  no  harm  in  this. 
And  do  all  these  things,  for  to-morrow  we  die;  and  if  it  so  be  that-  we  are 
guilty,  God  will  beat  us  with  a  few  stripes,  and  at  last  we  shall  be  saved  in 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Yea,  and  there  shall  be  many  which  shall  teach  after 
this  manner,  false,  and  vain,  and  foolish  doctrines,  and  shall  be  puffed  up 
in  their  hearts,  and  shall  seek  deep  to  hide  their  counsels  from  the  Lord ; 
and  their  works  shall  be  in  the  dark ;  and  the  blood  of  the  saints  shall  cry 
from  the  ground  against  them.  Yea,  they  have  all  gone  out  of  the  way ; 
they  have  become  corrupted.  Because  of  pride,  and  because  of  false  teach- 
ers, and  false  doctrine,  their  churches  have  become  corrupted  ;  and  their 
churches  are  lifted  up;  because  of  pride  they  are  puffed  up.  They  rob  the 
poor  because  of  their  fine  sanctuaries ;  they  rob  the  poor  because  of 
their  fine  clothing;  and  they  persecute  the  meek,  and  the  poor  in 
heart,  because  in  their  pride  they  are  puffed  up.  They  wear  stiff  necks 
and  high  heads;  yea,  and  because  of  pride,  and  wickedness,  and  abom- 
inations, and  whoredoms,  they  have  all  gone  astray,  save  it  be  a  few, 
who  are  the  humble  followers  of  Christ;  nevertheless,  they  are  led,  that  in 
many  instances  they  do  err,  because  they  are  taught  by  the  precepts  of 
men. 

"O  the  wise,  and  the  learned,  and  the  rich,  that  are  puffed  up  in  the  pride 
of  their  hearts,  and  all  those  who  preach  false  doctrine,  and  all  those  who 
commit  whoredoms,  and  pervert  the  right  way  of  the  Lord;  wo,  wo,  wo,  be 
unto  them,  saith  the  Lord  God  Almighty,  for  they  shall  be  thrust  down  to 
hell. 

"Wo  unto  them  that  turn  aside  the  just  for  a  thing  of  nought,  and  revile 
against  that  which  is  good,  and  say  that  it  is  of  no  worth :  for  the  day  shall 


BOOK  OF  MORMON  PROEPHCIES.  l7l 

come  that  the  Lord  God  will  speedily  visit  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth ; 
and  in  that  day  that  they  are  fully  ripe  in  iniquity  they  shall  perish.  But 
behold,  if  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  shall  repent  of  their  wickedness  and 
abominations,  they  shall  not  be  destoyed,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  But  be- 
hold, that  great  and  abominable  church,  the  whore  of  all  the  earth,  must 
tumble  to  the  earth ;  and  great  must  be  the  fall  thereof;  for  the  kingdom  of 
the  devil  must  shake,  and  they  which  belong  to  it  must  needs  be  stirred  up 
unto  repentance,  or  the  devil  will  grasp  them  with  his  everlasting  chains, 
and  they  be  stirred  up  to  anger  and  perish ;  for  behold,  at  that  day  shall  he 
rage  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  of  men,  and  stir  them  up  to  anger  against 
that  which  is  good;  and  others  will  he  pacify,  and  lull  them  away  into  car- 
nal security,  that  they  will  say,  All  is  well  in  Zion ;  yea,  Zion  prospereth, 
all  is  well;  and  thus  the  devil  cheateth  their  souls,  and  leadeth  them  away 
carefully  down  to  hell.  And  behold,  others  he  flattereth  awav,  and  telleth 
them  there  is  no  hell;  and  he  saith  unto  them,  I  am  no  devil,  for  there  is 
none :  and  thus  he  whispereth  in  their  ears,  until  he  grasps  them  with  his 
awful  chains,  from  whence  there  is  no  deliverance.  Yea,  they  are  grasped 
with  death  and  hell ;  and  death,  and  hell,  and  the  devil,  and  all  that  have 
been  seized  therewith,  must  stand  before  the  throne  of  God  and  be  judged 
according  to  their  works,  from  whence  they  must  go  into  a  place  prepared 
for  them,  even  a  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  which  is  endless  torment. 
Therefore,  wo  be  unto  him  that  is  at  ease  in  Zion.  Wo  be  unto  him  that 
crieth,  All  is  well;  yea,  wo  be  unto  him  that  hearkeneth  unto  the  precepts 
of  men,  and  denieth  the  power  of  God  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Yea,  wo  be  unto  him  that  saith,  We  have  received,  and  we  need  no  more. 
And  in  fine,  wo  unto  all  those  who  tremble,  and  are  angry  because  of  the 
truth  of  God.  For  behold,  he  that  is  built  up  *n  the  rock,  receiveth  it  with 
gladness:  and  he  that  is  built  upon  a  sandy  foundation,  trembleth,  lest  he 
shall  fall. 

"Wo  be  unto  him  that  shall  say,  We  have  received  the  word  of  God,  and 
we  need  no  more  of  the  word  of  God,  for  we  have  enough.  For  behold, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  God :  I  will  give  unto  the  children  of  men  line  upon 
line,  precept  upon  precept,  here  a  little  and  there  a  little:  and  blessed  are 
those  who  hearken  unto  my  precepts,  and  lend  an  ear  unto  my  counsel,  for 
they  shall  learn  wisdom ;  for  unto  him  that  receiveth,  I  will  give  more  :  and 
from  them  that  shall  say,  We  have  enough,  from  them  shall  be  taken  away 
even  that  which  they  have.  Cursed  is  he  that  putteth  his  trust  in  man,  or 
maketh  flesh  his  arm,  or  shall  hearken  unto  the  precepts  of  men,  save  their 
precepts  shall  be  given  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"Wo  be  unto  the  Gentiles,  saith  the  Lord  God"  of  hosts  ;  for  notwithstand- 
ing I  shall  lengthen  out  mine  arm  unto  them  from  day  to  day,  they  will  de- 
ny me ;  nevertheless  I  will  be  merciful  unto  them,  saith  the  Lord  God,  if 
they  will  repent  and  come  unto  me  ;  for  mine  arm  is  lengthened  out  all  the 
day  long,  saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts. 

"But  behold,  there  shall  be  many  at  that  day,  when  I  shall  proceed  to  do 
a  marvelous  work  among  them,  that  I  may  remember  my  covenants  which 
I  have  made  unto  the  children  of  men,  that  I  may  set  my  hand  again  the 
second  time  to  recover  my  people,  which  are  of  the'house  of  Israel ;  and  also, 
that  I  may  remember  the  promises  which  I  have  made  unto  thee,  Nephi, 
and  also  unto  thy  father,  that  I  would  remember  your  seed  ;  and  that  the 
words  of  your  seed  should  proceed  out  of  my  mouth  unto  your  seed.  And 
my  words  shall  hiss  forth  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth,  for  a  standard  unto  my 
people  which  are  of  the  house  of  Israel.  And  because  mv  words  shall  hiss 


172  SECRET  COMBINATIONS. 

forth,  many  of  the  Gentiles  shall  say,  A  bible,  a  bible,  we  have  got  a  bible, 
and  there  can  not  be  any  more  bible.  But  thus  saith  the  Lord  God  :  0  fools, 
they  shall  have  a  bible  ;  and  it  shall  proceed  forth  from  the  Jews,  mine  an- 
cient covenant  people.  And  what  thank  they  the  Jews  for  the  bible  which 
they  receive  from  them  ?  Yea,  what  do  the  Gentiles  mean  ?  Do  they  re- 
member the  travels,  and  the  labors,  and  the  pains  of  the  Jews,  and  their  dili- 
gence unto  me,  in  bringing  forth  salvation  unto  the  Gentiles? 

"O  ye  Gentiles,  have  ye  remembered  the  Jews,  mine  ancient  covenant  peo- 
ple? Nay;  but  ye  have  cursed  them,  and  have  hated  them,  and  have  not 
sought  to  recover  them.  But  behold,  I  will  return  all  these  things  upon 
your  own  heads ;  for  I,  the  Lord,  hath  not  forgotten  my  people.  Thou  fool, 
that  shall  say,  A  bible,  we  have  got  a  bible,  and  we  need  no  more  bible. 
Have  ye  obtained  a  bible  save  it  were  by  the  Jews?  Know  ye  not  that 
there  are  more  nations  than  one?  Know  ye  not  that  I,  the  Lord  your  God, 
have  created  all  men,  and  that  I  remember  those  who  are  upon  the  isles  of 
the  sea ;  and  that  I  rule  in  the  heavens  above,  and  in  the  earth  beneath  ;  and 
I  bring  forth  my  word  unto  the  children  of  men,  yea,  even  upon  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  ?  Wherefore  mu  nr;r  ye  because  that  ye  receive  more  of 
my  word  ?  Know  ye  not  that  the  testimony  of  two  nations  is  a  witness  un- 
to you  that  I  am  God,  that  I  remember  one  nation  like  unto  another?  Where- 
fore, I  speak  the  same  words  unto  one  nation  like  unto  another.  And 
when  the  two  nations  shall  run  together,  the  testimony  of  the  two  nations 
shall  run  together  also.  And  I  do  this  that  I  may  prove  unto  many  that  I 
am  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever;  and  that  I  speak  forth  my 
words  according  to  mine  own  pleasure.  And  because  that  I  have  spoken  one 
word,  ye  need  not  suppose  that  I  can  not  speak  another;  for  my  work  is  not 
yet  finished;  neither  shall  it  be  until  the  end  of  man  ;  neither  from  that 
time  henceforth  and  forever. 

"Wherefore,  because  that  ye  have  a  bible,  ye  need  not  suppose  that  it  con- 
tains all  my  words ;  neither  need  ye  suppose  that  I  have  not  caused  more  to 
be  written  ;  for  I  command  all  men,  both  in  the  east,  and  in  the  west,  and 
in  the  north,  and  in  the  south,  and  in  the  islands  of  the  sea,  that  they  shall 
write  the  words  which  I  speak  unto  them ;  for  out  of  the  books  which 
shall  be  written,  I  will  judge  the  world,  every  man  according  to  their  works, 
according  to  that  which  is  written.  For  behold,  I  shall  speak  unto  the  Jews, 
and  they  shall  write  it;  and  I  shall  also  speak  unto  the  Nephites  and  they 
shall  write  it;  and  I  shall  also  speak  unto  the  other  tribes  of  the  house 
of  Israel,  which  I  have  led  away,  and  they  shall  write  it ;  and  I  shall 
also  speak  unto  all  nations  of  the  earth,  and  they  shall  write  it." — 2  Nephi 
12:1-8. 

"  Hearken,  O,  ye  Gentiles,  and  hear  the  word?  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of 
the  living  God,  which  he  hath  commanded  me  that  I  should  speak  concern- 
ing you,  for,  behold  he  commandeth  me  that  I  should  write,  saying,  Turn,  all 
ye  Gentiles,  from  your  wicked  ways,  and  repent  of  your  evil  doings,  of  your 
lyings  and  deceivi'ngs,  and  of  your  whoredoms,  and  of  your  secret  abomina- 
tions, and  your  idolatries,  and'of  your  murders,  and  of  yonr  priestcrafts,  and 
your  envyings,  and  your  strifes,  and  from  all  your  wickedness  and  abomina- 
tions, and  come  unto  me,  and  be  baptized  in  my  name,  that  ye  may  receive 
a  remission  of  your  sins,  and  be  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  ye  may  be 
numbered  with"  my  people,  who  are  of  the  house  of  "Israel." — Nephi  14  :"l. 

"  And  behold,  their  prayers  were  also  in  behalf  of  him  that  the  Lord  should 
suffer  to  bring  these  things  forth.  And  no  one  need  say  that  they  shall  not 
come,  for  they  surely  shall,  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  it ;  for  out  of  the  earth 


LATTER  DAY  APOSTACY.  It 3 

shall  they  come,  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  none  can  stay  it ;  and  it  shall 
come  in  a  day  when  it  shall  he  said  that  miracles  are  done  away ;  and  it 
shall  come  even  as  if  one  should  speak  from  the  dead. 

"  And  it  shall  come  in  a  day  when  the  blood  of  the  Saints  shall  cry  unto  the 
Lord,  because  of  secret  combinations  and  the  works  of  darkness ;  yea,  it  shall 
come  in  a  day  when  the  power  of  God  shall  be  denied  and  churches  become 
defiled,  and  shall  be  lifted  up  in  the  pride  of  their  hearts ;  yea,  even  in  a 
day  when  leaders  of  churches,  and  teachers,  in  the  pride  of  their  hearts, 
even  to  the  envying  of  them  who  belong  to  their  churches ;  yea,  it  shall  come 
in  a  day  when  'there  shall  be  heard  of  fires,  and  tempests,  and  vapors  of 
smoke  in  foreign  lands  ;  and  there  shall  also  be  heard  of  wars  and  rumors  of 
wars,  and  earthquakes  in  divers  places ;  yea  it  shall  come  in  a  day  when  there 
shall  be  great  pollutions  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  there  shall  be  murders 
and  robbing,  and  lying,  and  deceivings,  and  whoredoms,  and  all  manner  of 
abominations,  when  there  shall  be  many  who  will  say,  Do  this,  or  do  that, 
and  it  mattereth  not,  for  the  Lord  will  uphold  such  at  the  last  day.  But  wo 
unto  such,  for  they  are  in  the  gall  of  bitterness,  and  in  the  bonds  of  iniquity. 
Yea,  it  shall  come  in  a  day  when  there  shall  be  churches  built  up  that  shall 
say,  Come  unto  me,  and  for  your  money  you  shall  be  forgiven  of  your  sins. 

0  ye  wicked,  and  perverse,  and  stiff-necked  people,  why  have  you  built  up 
churches  unto  yourselves  to  get  gain?    Why  have  ye  transfigured  the  holy 
word  of  God,  that  ye  might  bring  damnation  upon  your  souls?     Behold, 
look  ye  unto  the  revelations  of  God.    For  behold,  the  time  cometh  at  that 
day  when  all  these  things  inust  be  fulfilled. 

"  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  shown  unto  me  great  and  marvelous  things  con- 
cerning that  which  must  shortly  come  at  that  day  when  these  thing  shall 
come  forth  among  you.  Behold,  I  speak  unto  you  as  if  you  were  present, 
and  yet  ye  are  not.  But  behold,  Jesus  Christ  hath  shown  you  unto  me,  and 

1  know  your  doing ;  and  I  know  that  ye  do  walk  in  the  pride  of  your  hearts ; 
and  there  are  none,  save  a  few  only,  who  do  not  lift  themselves  up  in  the 
pride  of  their  hearts,  unto  the  wearing  of  very  fine  apparel,  unto  envying, 
and  strifes,  and  malice,  and  persecutions,  and  all  manner  of  iniquities ;   and 
your  churches,  yea,  even  every  one,  have  become  polluted  because  of  the 
the  pride  of  your  hearts.     For  I  ehold,  ye  do  love  money,  and  your  sub- 
stances, and  your  fine  apparel,  and  the  adoVning  of  your  churches,  more  than 
ye  love  the  poor  and  the  needy,  the  sick  and  the  afflicted.    0  ye  pollutions, 
ye  hypocrites,  ye  teachers,  who  sell  yourselves  for  that  which  will  canker, 
why  have  ye  polluted  the  holy  church  of  God  ?     Why  are  ye  ashamed  to 
to  take  upon  you  the  name  of  Christ?     Why  do  you  not  think  that  greater 
is  the  value  of  an  endless  happiness,  than  that  misery  which  never  dies,  be- 
cause of  the  praise  of  the  world.    Why  do  ye  adorn  yourselves  with  that 
which  hath  no  life,  and  yet  sulier  the  hungry,  and  the  needy,  and  the  naked, 
and  the  sick,  and  the  afflicted  to  pass  by  you,  and  notice  them  not?    Yea, 
why  do  ye  build  up  your  secret  abominations  to  get  gain,  and  cause  that 
widows  should  mourn  before  the  Lord,  and  also  orphans  to  mourn  before 
the  Lord,  and  also  the  blood  of  their  fathers  and  their  husbands  to  cry  unto 
the  Lord  from  the  ground,  for  vengeance  upon  your  heads?     Behold,  the 
sword  of  vengeance  hangeth  over  you ;   and  the  time  soon  cometh  that  he 
avengeth  the  blood  of  the  Saints  upon  you,  for  he  will  not  suffer  their  cries 
any  longer." — Mormon  4  : 2-&. 

These  predictions  clearly  portray  (1)  the  condition  of  the  world 
for  the  past  fifty  years,  and  (2)  point  clearly  to  the  terrible  apos- 


174  SOLOMON  SPAULDING. 

tasy  in  the  church  of  the  Saints,  and  (3)  to  the  important  fact  that 
said  apostasy  would  be  caused  by  the  ministry,  of  whom  it  says, 
"O  ye  pollutions,  ye  hypocrites,  ye  teachers,  who  sell  yourselves 
for  that  which  will  canker,  why  have  you  polluted  the  holy  church 
of  God."  "Yea,  why  do  ye  build  up  your  secret  abominations  to 
to  get  gain,  and  cause  that  widows  should  mourn  before  the  Lord, 
and  also  orphans  to  mourn  before  the  Lord;  and  also  the  blood  of 
their  fathers  and  their  husbands  to  cry  unto  the  Lord  from  the 
ground  for  vengeance  upon  your  heads.  Behold,  the  sword  of 
vengeance  hangeth  over  you,"  etc.  These  prophecies  are  plain, 
and  full;  and  they  are  having  most  precise  and  literal  fulfillment. 
Surely,  these  prophecies  were  inspired  of  God,  for  no  man,  learned 
or  unlearned,  could  have  conjectured  so  many  strange  and  unlikely 
events — events  so  contrary  to  what  was  fondly  expected  in  the 
times  at  anH  before  the  coming  forth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon.  The 
moral  doctrines  of  the  book  are  fully  equal  to  any  ever  given  to 
man.  No  purer  system  can  be  produced.  It  embraces  all  the 
moral  excellencies  of  the  New  Testament,  and  is  quite  free  from 
teachings  of  such  questionable  morality  as  are  found  in  1  Cor.  7th 
chapter;  Rom.  7:  17,  25;  3:  7;  1  Cor.  6:  12,  etc.,  etc.,  found  in  the 
common  version. 

Its  theology  is  strictly  Biblical,  and  Christian;  its  religious 
rites  and  ceremonies  are  identical  with  those  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment, as  also  its  church  polity  and  organization,  though  they  are 
more  clearly  defined,  and  promulgated,  and  enjoined  with  greater 
emphasis. 

Its  style  is  plain,  and  ancient;  its  language  is  simple,  compre- 
hensive, and  utterly  free  from  cultured  finish,  scholarly  taste,  or 
learned  structure  and  order. 

SOLOMON    SPAULDING. 

That  any  one  of  judgment,  on  reading  the  book,  could  for  one 
moment  think  that  Rev.  Mr.  Spaulding,  commonly  reputed  to  be  a 
man  of  poetic  nature,  romantic  tastes,  and  high  scholastic  attain- 
ments, ever  wrote  the  book,  or  even  one  page  of  it,  is  more  than 
we  can  believe.  Had  he,  or  any  man  of  finished  education  written 
the  book,  their  scholarly  attainments  would  have  been  manifest  in 
the  style,  language,  and  arrangement  of  the  book. 

Further  ;  if  Mr.  Spaulding,  a  Congregational  (or  Presbyterian) 
minister  wrote  the  book,  he  would  have  filled  it  with  his  doctrine 
instead  of  advocating  in  it  such  doctrines  as  are  found  in  the  book, 
many  of  which  are  in  no  sense  Congregational,  but  rather  un-Con- 
gregational.  Every  chapter,  and  every  paragraph  in  the  book, 


JOSEPH  A  GENTILE.  175 

utterly  refutes  the  idea  that  a  cultivated  minister,  Protestant  or 
Catholic,  ever  wrote  a  page  of  it.  Such  an  idea  is  too  palpably 
false  to  need  a  lengthy  refutation.  And  as  for  the  inexperienced 
and  uneducated  youth,  Joseph  Smith's  writing,  or  dictating  it,  as 
is  rather  claimed  by  Mr.  Sheldon,  none  but  those  possessed  of  pre- 
judice and  a  partisan  spirit,  or  those  wanting  fair  common  sense, 
could  endorse  such  an  idea.  That  Joseph  Smith,  without  the  in- 
spiration of  God,  could  write  that  book,  abounding  as  it  does  in  the 
most  accurate  items  of  history,  declaring  improbable  historical 
facts,  facts  which  have  since  been  fully  attested  by  the  antiquarian 
and  the  geologist;  disseminating  a  system  of  morals  and  religion 
that  challenges  the  criticism,  and  that  is  worthy  of  the  admiration 
of  the  race  and  publishing  a  series  of  prophecies  the  most  impor- 
tant and  startling,  many  of  which  are  being  fulfilled  under  our 
own  observation — that  he  could  do  such  a  work,  under  such  con- 
ditions, it  would  be  far  more  difficult  to  believe,  than  to  believe 
what  he  claims,  viz.,  the  guidance  and  inspiration  of  God. 

Whoever  will  read  the  "Manuscript  Story"  written  by  Rev. 
Spaulding,  will  perceive  that  he  had  neither  the  religion,  the 
morals,  the  information,  nor  the  intellectual  ability,  to  write  the 
Book  of  Mormon,  nor  anything  to  compare  with  it.  It  may  be 
obtained  at  the  Herald  Office,  Lamoni,  Iowa,  for  fifteen  cents. 

JOSEPH    A    GENTILE. 

Mr.  Sheldon  avers  that  "the  Book  of  Mormon  makes  the  finder 
and  translator  of  that  book  a  Gentile."  This  is  another  of  that 
large  class  of  false  assumptions  we  have  had  to  deal  with  all  the 
way  through  this  work.  That  "the  finder  and  translator"  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  and  the  founder  and  organizer  of  this  latter 
day  dispensation  was  a  citizen  of  a  Gentile  nation,  and  in  that 
sense  was  a  Gentile,  we  freely  admit;  but  that  he  was  of  Gentile 
lineage,  the  thing  claimed  by  Mr.  Sheldon,  we  deny.  Paul  was  a 
Roman  citizen  (Acts  22:  27),  and  yet  a  Jew  by  lineage,  (v.  3).  The 
"Parthians,  and  Medes,  and  Elamites,"  of  Acts  2:  9,  were  by  line- 
age Jews,  no  doubt,  and  only  citizens  of  those  nations,  (v.  5).  So 
Joseph  Smith  was  a  Gentile  in  his  citizenship,  though  an  Israelite 
by  lineage,  as  is  claimed  by  the  Book  of  Mormon,  2  Nephi  2:2,  3r 
and  provided  for  in  Rom.  11:  23-27;  Jer.  16:  16-19;  31:  7,  8, 
9,  10;  Ps.  80:  1,  2;  Deut.  33:  17,  with  Rom.  3:  1,  2;  and  9:  4,  etc. 

MIRACLE-WORKING    CHURCH. 

Mr.  Sheldon  says: 

"It  is  insisted  that  the  true  church  is  a  miracle-working  church — and  that 


176  CHURCH  ORGANIZATION. 

such  are  the  people  called  Mormons.    Both  the  Josephites  and  the  Brigham- 
ites  use  this  argument  to  outsiders . " 

Whilst  it  is  insisted  by  the  "Josephites"  that  the  Church  of 
Christ  should  enjoy  miraculous  powers  and  blessings,  it  is  also 
true  that  the  Utah  Mormons,  in  Utah  are  not  only  barren  of  these 
divine  favors,  but  that  some  there  in  Utah  have  taught  that  they 
are  no  longer  needed,  they  having  "the  living  oracles"  to  edify 
and  perfect  them.  It  is  unquestionably  true  that  ministers  be- 
belonging  to  the  Utah  organization,  who  received  their  priesthood 
in  a  regular  line  from  Joseph  and  Oliver,  did,  so  long  as  they  faith- 
fully preached  the  gospel  and  ministered  in  righteousness,  possess 
and  enjoy  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  at  times  in  great  power,  and 
very  notably  before  the  doctrines  of  polygamy,  Adam-God, 
corrupt  tithing,  etc.,  etc.,  were  thrust  upon  and  forced  into  the 
church. 

PATTERN    OF    ORGANIZATION. 

Mr.  Sheldon,  in  order  to  throw  discredit  upon  the  claim  of  the 
Saints  that  the  same  kind  of  church  organization  is  needed  now 
in  the  perfect  Church  of  Christ  as  was  had  in  the  times  of  the 

Apostles,  says: 

"In  the  true  church  order,  God  has  set  apostles,  it  is  true,  but  simply  as 
material  for  the  foundation,  and  not  as  rafters  to  the  building." 

Very  well;  but  is  it  not  essential  that  the  church  should  always 
have  the  same  kind  of  a  foundation?  And  when  one  part  of  the 
foundation  of  the  church  is  removed  by  death  or  apostasy,  is  it 
not  essential  that  the  want  created  by  such  removal  should  be  sup- 
plied? If  not,  why  was  Matthias,  the  thirteenth  apostle  in  num- 
ber, chosen  to  fill  the  place  of  Judas?  and  why  were  the  "apostles, 
Barnabas  and  Paul,"  (Acts  14:  14),  chosen  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
ordained  by  the  ministry?  (Acts  13:  1-4),  and  why  did  the  church 
at  Ephesus,  ninety-six  years  after  Christ,  willingly  consent  to  try 
them  who  said  they  were  apostles?  (Rev.  2:2).  Paul,  in  speaking 
of  the  church,  says  Christ  "gave  some,  apostles;  and  some,  proph- 
ets; and  some,  evangelists;  and  some,  pastors  and  teachers,"  (Eph. 
4:  11),  and  many  of  these,  and  other  officers,  he  gave  to  the 
church  after  he  ascended  up  on  high,  to  fully  organize  his  church 
for  its  gospel  work.  Now  there  is  just  as  much  authority  for  dis- 
carding the  evangelists,  and  pastors  and  teachers,  as  for  discarding 
the  others.  Paul  says  the  officers,  all  of  them,  were  given  for  the 
"perfecting  of  the  Saints,  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  ed- 
ifying [building  up]  of  the  body  of  Christ." — Eph.  4:  12.  And 


BODY  OF  CHRIST.  177 

lie  tells  us  how  long  the  Lord  intended  them  to  continue  in  his 
church: — 

"Till  we  all  come  in  [into]  the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge 
of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ."— Eph.  4 :  13. 

And  he  tells  us  why  these  officers  were  given : — 

"That  we  henceforth  be  no  more  children,  tossed  to  and  fro,  and  carried 
about  by  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight  of  men,  and  cunning  crafti- 
ness, whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  deceive." — Eph.  4:  14. 

No  one  questions  but  that  evangelists,  pastors,  and  teachers, 
should  now  be  in  the  church,  yet  there  is  more  reason  for  setting 
them  aside  as  unnecessary,  than  for  setting  aside  apostles  and 
prophets,  for  the  latter  are  the  most  important. 

Again,  Paul,  after  describing  the  gifts  and  administrations  of 
"the  one  Spirit,"  proceeds  to  say  to  the  Church: 

"Now  ye  are  the  body  of  Christ,  and  members  in  particular.  And  God 
hath  set  some  in  the  church,  first  apostles,  secondarily  prophets,  thirdly 
teachers,  after  that  miracles,  then  gifts  of  healing,  helps,  governments,  diver- 
sities of  tongues."—!  Cor.  12 :  27,  28. 

Here  the  Church  of  Christ  is  compared  to  the  body  of  man, 
united,  compacted,  and  vitally  connected  together  in  all  its  parts. 
Of  this  another  wisely  remarks: 

"If  his  illustrations  be  worthy  anything,  then  the  church  which  has  not 
for  its  members  persons  possessed  of  all  these  varied  gifts,  is  no  more  a  [per- 
fect] Church  of  Christ  than  a  body  is  a  human  body  without  its  members. 
A  Christian,  living  church  must  have  members  qualified  and  endowed  from 
the  Spirit,  with  all  these  gifts,  or  it  is  destitute  of  its  members  They  are 
no  more  living,  real  members  than  a  wooden  leg,  or  an  artificial  hand,  or  a 
glass  eye  is  a  member  of  the  human  body.  A  church  must  have  its  spiritual 
members,  living  and  complete,  or  it  is  no  body  of  Christ." 

12 


1Y8  JOSEPH  SMITH,  A  PROPHET. 

CHAPTER   IX. 

JOSEPH    SMITH,    A    PROPHET. 

We  now  propose  to  consider  the  direct  question,  Was  Joseph 
Smith  a  prophet  of  God? 

Judging  from  a  Biblical  standpoint,  it  is  not  at  all  strange  that 
God  will  have  prophets,  and  other  inspired  men  and  women,  in 
these  last  days.  The  Bible  everywhere  shows  that  the  Lord's  peo- 
ple in  all  past  ages,  when  faithful,  enjoyed  the  blessings  of  inspira- 
tion, and  that  his  work  with  them,  among  them,  and  for  them,  was 
based  upon  and  builded  by  miracle,  prophecy,  revelation,  and  other 
spiritual  blessings.  These  divine  manifestations  have  always  been 
the  heritage  of  those  who  served  the  Lord  according  to  His  will,, 
and  the  Scriptures  teach  that  they  always  will  be  found  with  His 
faithful  children.  These  Scriptures  teach  also  that  God  will  have 
a  people  on  the  earth  in  these  last  days,  and  that  among  them  will 
be  found  those  gifted  with  prophecy,  revelation,  vision,  spiritual 
dreams,  etc.,  etc.  See  Joel  2:  28;  Zechariah  2:4;  Malachi  4:  5,  6;. 
Rev.  16:  6;  18:  4,  20,  with  chapter  14:  6,  7,  etc.,  etc. 

Inasmuch,  therefore,  as  God  will  have  inspired  men  through 
whom  He  will  manifest  Himself  by  prophecy,  revelation,  vision,, 
dream,  and  angelic  administration  in  these  last  days,  (See  Rev.  14: 
6,  8,  9, 15,  19;  18:  1;  Matt.  13:  41,49;  Mark  13:  27,  etc.),  is  it  impos- 
sible, or  even  improbable  that  he  called  and  chose  Joseph  Smith  as 
one  of  the  chief — or  first  and  very  greatest — among  them?  It 
matters  not  that  Joseph  had  and  has  much  evil  spoken  and  written 
of  him.  Similar  treatment  has  always  been  given  God's  promi- 
nent ministers,  including  the  loving  Savior  and  his  faithful  apostles. 
Indeed,  if  Joseph  Smith  had  not  been  opposed,  railed  upon,  ma- 
ligned and  sorely  persecuted,  he  would  lack  the  notable  badge 
which  has  always  marked  the  chief  servants  of  God.  Joseph 
Smith  claimed  to  be  sent  of  God  and  inspired  by  Him  to  translate 
the  Book  of  Mormon,  organize  His  church  and  re-affirm  and  restore 
its  primitive  doctrines,  principles,  ordinances  and  blessings.  Is 
this  claim  supported  by  reliable  facts?  We  think  it  is,  and  will 
now  present  some  of  the  proofs. 

And  before  we  proceed  with  the  main  lines  of  our  argument,  and 
the  chief  evidences  in  proof,  we  pause  to  briefly  notice  what  Mr. 
Sheldon  urges  as  a  clear  proof  that,  if  Joseph  was  a  prophet  at  all, 
then  he  was  a  false  prophet.  He  says: 


FLOATING  UP  STREAM.  179 

"If  Joseph  really  introduced  polygamy,  it  is  another  proof  to  Josephites 
that  he  is  a  false  prophet." 

Mr.  Sheldon  should  not  stop  here,  but  slash  away  at  the  prophe- 
tic and  apostolic  claims  of  others  on  similar  grounds.  He  should 
tell  us  that,  if  Noah  got  intoxicated  on  wine,  then  he  was  a  false 
prophet;  and  that  if  Abraham  and  Jacob  practiced  polygamy,  then 
they  were  false  prophets;  and  that  if  Moses  killed  an  Egyptian 
and  hid  him  in  the  sand,  and  if  Aaron  turned  away  to  idolatry 
while  Moses  was  in  the  mount,  then  they  were  false  prophets;  and 
if  Samuel  hewed  Agag  the  prisoner  to  pieces;  and  if  David  mur- 
dered Uriah  and  committed  adultery  with  Bathsheba;  and  if  Gide- 
on went  into  polygamy  and  idolatry  then  they  were  false  prophets; 
and,  finally,  that  if  Peter  cursed  and  swore  and  denied  Christ,  and 
dissembled,  then  he  was  a  false  apostle,  and  was  never  an  apostle 
of  Christ, 

In  the  first  place,  we  know  not  personally  whether  Joseph  the 
Seer  did  or  did  not  practice  and  teach  polygamy.  One  thing  is 
clear,  all  his  public  teachings  as  we  find  them  in  all  the  public 
records  up  to  1844,  are  squarely  against  anything  of  the  kind.  It 
is  also  clear  that  he  left  no  posterity  except  by  his  one  wife — 
Emma.  If  he  taught  or  practiced  polygamy,  it  was  done  very 
secretly,  and  it  was  done  against  the  law  and  order  of  the  church, 
and  against  the  teachings  arid  protests  of  himself  and  Hyruni  up  to 
as  late  as  the  pring  of  1844.  Many  good  men  of  times  gone  by 
have  gone  into  polygamy  and  kindred  evils,  and  yet  it  did  not 
prove  that  they  were  never  the  servants  of  God. 

Mr.  Sheldon  tells  us  that  "Mrs.  Young,  No  19,  mentions  a  plural 
marriage  performed  by  Joseph  himself."  Mrs.  Young  is  not  a  com- 
petent witness  in  this  case,  as  she  was  not  born  until  near  the  time 
of  Joseph's  death.  All  that  she  could  know  of  the  case  would  be 
simply  by  rumor.  And  when  one  so  incompetent  makes  charges 
of  such  a  grave  character  their  evidence  should  be  treated  as  of  no 
great  or  certain  value.  Besides  this,  "Mrs.  Young,  No.  19,"  has 
shown  herself  an  utterly  unsafe  witness.  She  publishes  that  Joseph 
claimed  to  be  a  new  Messiah!  and  that  Joseph  counselled  a  man 
at  Nauvoo  to  go  down  the  river  to  a  Gentile  saw  mill  and  steal  a 
lot  of  black  walnut  lumber  for  coffins!  also  that  the  man  went 
and  did  as  counselled,  and  rafted  the  lumber  up  the  river  to  the 
city  of  the  Saints! 

Mr.  Sheldon,  can't  you  see  how  easy  this  thing  was  done? — can't 
you  see  that  man  stealing  that  lumber,  and  making  that  raft,  and 
floating  it  up  over  the  rapids,  against  a  current  running  from  four 
to  eight  miles  per  hour,  and  no  one  to  see  or  hear  this  lumber  thief 


180  PROOF  OF  PROPHECY. 

till  he  safely  lands  his  booty  in  the  city?  Of  course  you  can  see 
it,  for  "No.  19"  is  just  your  kind  of  a  witness;  her  testimony  is  off 
the  same  piece  with  that  you  are  using  to  prove  Joseph  a  false 
prophet  and  the  Book  of  Mormon  untrue;  and  of  course  you 
can  see  the  "eternal  fitness"  of  her  testimony  and  accept  it  for  dia- 
mond truth! 

Joseph  Smith;  was  he  a  prophet  of  God?  Popular  opinion  an- 
swers no.  And  if  we  were  to  judge  of  the  divinity  of  Jesus  Christ, 
or  any  of  the  ancient  prophets,  by  the  same  rule,  it  would  give  us 
the  same  result;  for  not  one-fifth  of  the  human  family  now  even 
profess  to  believe  Christianity. 

Popular  opinion  is  not  the  rule  of  evidence  by  which  to  deter- 
mine the  truth  or  falsity  of  any  fact  or  principle.  The  rankest 
errors  in  religion,  in  philosophy,  and  in  science,  have  been  highly 
popular  in  their  time.  Known  truth  is  the  touch-stone  by  which  to 
try  everything  claiming  to  be  true  or  divine. 

All  true  principles  harmonize.  The  truths  of  philosophy,  of  the 
sciences,  of  history,  and  of  divine  religion  and  revelation,  do  not, 
and  can  not  conflict.  They  will  ever,  when  rightly  understood,  be 
found  to  perfectly  agree. 

We  test  the  divinity  of  the  mission  of  Moses  and  the  prophets 
by  comparing  their  teachings  with  known  truths.  The  grandest 
principles  connected  with  geology,  astronomy,  chemistry,  and  phy- 
siology, are  outlined  in  their  teachings.  The  facts  of  written  his- 
tory, of  universal  tradition,  and  of  history  lately  discovered  chisel- 
led on  the  stony  walls  of  ancient  Egyptian  and  Assyrian  cities  and 
upon  their  crumbling  tombs  and  monuments  are  also  found  in 
their  writings.  All  these  are  witnesses  for  Moses  and  the  prophets. 
But  the  strongest  external  evidence  that  can  be  had, — evidence 
that  should  fully  satisfy  every  one, — is  the  exact  agreement  be- 
tween the  predictions  of  these  men  and  the  facts  of  subsequent 
history.  They  predict,  with  a  "Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  that  certain 
events  will  transpire — events  which  human  sagacity  could  not  fore- 
see— and  history,  the  faithful  chronicler  of  events  as  they  occur, 
testifies  that  the  events  predicted  did  transpire. 

True  prophecy  was  always  regarded  by  God's  people  as  one  of 
the  crowning  evidences  of  divinity,  and  it  was  so  taught  by  Jesus 
and  the  prophets,  as  may  be  seen  by  Isaiah  41:  21-23;  Ezek.  33: 
33;  John  13:  19,  etc. 

The  early  Christions  vanquished  their  opponents  successfully 
by  showing  the  fulfillment  of  the  predictions  of  Moses  and  the 
prophets,  and  especially  of  Jesus  and  the  apostles. 


TRUE  PROPHECY.  181 

We  propose  to  discuss  the  prophetic  mission  of  Joseph  Smith 
in  the  light  of  historical  facts  mainly,  if  not  entirely,  as  compared 
with  his  prophecies. 

Joseph,  when  a  boy  aged  seventeen  years,  began  to  know  his 
marvelous  and  wonderful  mission.  This  was  as  early  as  1823.  At 
that  time,  and  from  that  time  on,  the  chief  part  of  Christendom 
was  solacing  itself  with  the  thought  that  the  world  was  rapidly 
improving  in  morals  and  religion.  Many  thought  that  the  millen- 
nium would  would  soon  be  ushered  in  through  the  joint  efforts  of 
the  pulpit,  the  press,  and  missionary  labors.  And  it  was  under 
the  inspiration  of  this  idea,  no  doubt,  that  the  "World's  Peace 
Congresses"  were  projected.  In  the  midst  of  these  things, 
and  in  opposition  to  these  sentiments,  Joseph  pronounced 
the  "Thus  saith  the  Lord,"  and  predicted  the  rise  and  rapid 
spread  of  social,  political  and  spiritual  corruption.  He  declared 
that  iniquity  would  increase  and  abound,  and  that  judgments 
would  rapidly  multiply  among  the  wicked;  that  there  would  be 
great  "divisions"  among  the  people;  that  there  would  be  great 
contentions,  strifes  and  wars;  that  there  would  be  unusual  tem- 
pests, earthquakes,  plagues,  pestilences  and  famines;  that  there 
would  be  terribly  destructive  fires;  that  the  sea  would  be  greatly 
troubled,  and  that  these  things  would  continue  to  occur  till  the 
glorious  appearing  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  which,  he  said,  was  near  at 
hand. 

In  short,  he  predicted  the  very  opposite  of  what  was  taught  by 
the  world-wise  and  prudent,  the  opposite  of  what  was  fondly  be- 
lieved by  the  masses.  In  May,  1829,  he  predicted  that  the  church 
he  was  about  to  found  and  organize  would  become  "a  great  and 
marvelous  work  among  the  children  of  men." — D.  &  C.,  11:  1. 

Such  is  its  history  already,  though  it  has  but  fairly  begun  its 
work,  In  March  of  the  same  year  he  predicted  the  coming  of  the 
cholera  "scourge,"  and  that  it  would  continue  its  ravages  among 
the  nations,  from  time  to  time,  till  the  earth  became  "empty." 
(D.  &  C.  4:  3).  The  first  case  of  cholera  in  Western  Europe  oc- 
curred in  1831,  in  Great  Britain  in  1832,  and  in  North  America  in 
the  summer  of  the  same  year,  though  it  had  existed  in  Asia  for 
many  years  before  that.  The  most  eminent  physicians  pronounce 
it  a  "dreadful  scourge,"  and  state  that  its  "essential  character  and 
true  origin  are  yet  entirely  unknown." 

He  predicted  that  "the  weak  and  simple"  would  proclaim  the 
fulness  of  the  gospel  "unto  the  ends  of  the  world  and  before  kings 


182  SATANIC  POWER. 

and  rulers,"  (D.  &  C.  1:4),  and  an  unlettered  and  inexperienced 
ministry  has  been  fulfilling  this  since  1830. 

In  1831  he  predicted  that  the  time  was  near  "when  peace  shall 
be  taken  from  the  earth,  and  the  devil  shall  have  power  over  his  own 
dominion;  and  also  the  Lord  shall  have  power  over  his  Saints,  and 
shall  reign  in  their  midst,  and  shall  come  down  in  judgment  on 
Idumea,  or  the  world." — D.  &.  C.  1:  6. 

In  this  is  predicted  the  marked  development  of  Satanic  influence 
and  working,  its  prevalence  and  power  in  contradistinction  to  the 
power  of  God.  The  world  has  witnessed  the  fulfillment  of  this 
prediction  in  a  most  wonderful  degree  since  1848  as  the  reader 
must  be  aware,  at  least  so  far  as  relates  to  the  doings  of  those 
"spirit  manifestations,"  so  utterly  opposed  to  Bible  Christianity. 

In  March,  1831,  he  prophecied  that  soon  there  would 

"Be  heard  of  wars  and  rumors  wars,  and  the  whole  earth  shall  be  in  com- 
motion, and  men's  hearts  shall  fail  them,  and  they  shall  say  that  Christ  de- 
layeth  his  coming  until  the  end  of  the  earth.  Arid  the  love  of  men  shall 
wax  cold,  and  iniquity  shall  abound  ;  ...  and  there  shall  be  earthquakes, 
also,  in  divers  places,  and  many  desolations ;  yet  men  will  harden  their 
hearts  against  me,  [Christ],  and  they  will  take  up  the  sword  one  against  an- 
other, and  they  will  kill  one  another.  .  .  .  And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  he  that  feareth  me  [Christ],  shall  be  looking  forth  for  the  great  day  of 
the  Lord  to  come,  even  for  the  signs  of  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man ;  and 
they  shall  see  signs  and  wonders,  for  they  shall  be  shown  forth  in  the  heavens 
above,  and  in  the  earth  beneath ;  and  they  shall  behold  blood,  and  fire,  and 
vapors  of  smoke  ;  and  before  the  day  of  the  Lord  shall  come,  the  sun  shall 
be  darkened  and  the  moon  be  turned  into  blood,  and  stars  shall  fall  from 
heaven ;  and  the  remnant  [Jews]  shall  be  gathered  unto  this  place  [Jerusa- 
lem], and  then  they  shall  look  for  me,  and  behold  I  will  come;  and  they 
shall  see  me  in  the  clouds  of  heaven,  clothed  with  power  and  great  glory, 
with  all  the  holy  angels,  and  he  that  watches  not  for  me  shall  be  cut  off." — 
D.  &  C.  45 :  4,  6.* 

Many  of  the  items  in  the  foregoing  prophecies  have  been  ful- 
filled, or  are  in  process  of  fulfillment,  while  some  remain  to  be  ful- 
filled at  no  distant  day.  In  December,  1832,  he  prophesied  to  the 
elders  as  follows: 

"And  after  your  testimony,  cometh  wrath  and  indignation  upon  the  peo- 
ple ;  for  after  your  testimony  cometh  the  testimony  of  earthquakes,  that 
shall  cause  groanings  in  the  midst  of  her,  and  men  shall  fall  upon  the 
ground  and  shall  not  be  able  to  stand.  And  also  cometh  the  voice  of  thun- 
derings,  and  the  voice  of  lightnings,  and  the  voice  of  tempests,  and  the 
voice  of  the  waves  of  the  sea  heaving  themselves  beyond  their  bounds.  And  all 
things  shall  be  in  commotion  ;  and  surely  men's  hearts  shall  fail  them  ;  for 
fear  shall  come  upon  all  people." — D.  &  C.  85  :  25. 

Since  1860  "earthquakes"  have  been  more  frequent,  wide-spread, 
and  terrible;  "thunderings"  more  common  and  frightful;  "light- 


WAVES  OF  THE  SEA.  183 

nings"  more  fearful,  terrific,  and  disastrous;  and  "tempests,"  tor- 
nadoes, cyclones  and  whirlwinds,  have  been  more  prevalent  and 
destructive  than  ever  known  before  in  the  the  same  length  of  time. 
These  are  facts  beyond  successful  question. 

In  October,  1864,  in  India,  the  waves  of  the  sea  were  driven  by 
a  cyclone  inland,  and  many  thousands  of  lives  and  many  millions 
of  property  were  destroyed.  In  October  31st,  1876,  in  the  same 
region,  a  cyclone  drove  the  waters  of  the  sea  over  some  of  the  most 
populous  districts,  destroying  215,000  human  lives  with  an  immense 
amount  of  property.  In  1867,  at  the  Island  of  St.  Thomas,  the 
waves  rose  sixty  or  seventy  feet  higher  than  common,  and  "heaved 
themselves  beyond  their  bounds,"  carrying  upon  their  crests  a 
United  States  war  steamer,  and  leaving  it  high  and  dry  on  land. 
In  1868,  at  the  Sandwich  Islands,  the  waves  rose  fifty  to  sixty  feet 
higher  than  was  their  wont  and  "heaved  themselves  beyond  their 
bounds,"  washing  away  a  number  of  the  little  coast  towns,  destroy- 
ing life  and  property.  In  August  of  the  same  year  occurred  "the 
great  tidal  wave"  which  beat  along  the  Pacific  coast  from  the  bay 
of  San  Francisco  on  the  north,  to  near  Cape  Horn  on  the  south. 
At  the  bay  of  Valparaiso,  and  other  contiguous  sea  ports,  the  waves 
rose  fifty  to  seventy  feet  higher  than  usual,  tearing  the  shipping 
loose  from  its  anchorage  in  many  places  and  bearing  the  largest 
vessels  in  upon  the  dry  land,  destroying  a  great  many  lives  and 
millions  of  dollars  worth  of  property,  and  up  to  the  present  time 
tidal  waves,  with  the  sea  heaving  its  waters  beyond  their  bounds  are 
frequent  and  appalling. 

By  what  means  could  Joseph  predict  these  numerous  and  remark- 
able events  so  clearly?  Only  by  the  Spirit  that  foresees  and  fore- 
knows— the  Spirit  of  the  living  God! 

In  the  same  prophecy  he  also  tells  us  that  "all  things  shall  be  in 
commotion."  How  true  we  find  this  to-day!  Every  department 
of  society,  political,  social,  commercial,  scientific  and  religious,  is 
greatly  agitated — is  in  great  commotion.  This  is  true  of  America, 
of  Europe,  of  Asia,  of  Africa, — of  every  place.  The  humblest 
peasant,  and  the  mightiest  prince;  the  Pope  with  his  triple  crown, 
and  the  cloistered  monk;  high  church-men  and  low  church-men; 
Pagan,  Parsee,  Christian,  Jew, — all  partake  of  this  portentous 
spirit  of  restlessness — this  ceaseless  commotion.  And  the  elements, 
too,  are  unusually  agitated  in  all  parts  of  the  earth;  and  it  is  no 
wonder  that  "men's  hearts  fail  them,"  and  that  "fear"  has  come, 
and  is  coming  "upon  all  people." 

On  the  25th  of  December,   1832,  Joseph  Smith  received  a  reve- 


184  GREAT  WARS. 

lation  foreshowing  the  desolating  wars  and  fearful  judgments  of 
the  latter  days.  In  this  revelation  is  foretold  the  war  of  the  late 
rebellion  through  which  our  nation  passed  from  1860  to  1866, 
which  resulted  in  the  death  of  over  600,000  persons,  and  in  crip- 
pling and  disabling  by  disease  over  400,000  more.  The  revelation 
was  first  printed  at  Liverpool,  in  England,  in  1851,  in  a  pamphlet 
entitled  "The  Pearl  of  Great  Price,"  though  many  of  the  Saints 
had  known  of  it  from  1832.  Thousands  of  copies  of  this  work 
are  still  in  existence,  in  the  hands  of  the  Saints  and  others.  It 
was  published  in  many  languages,  and  in  various  other  works,  at 
different  times  before  the  rebellion  took  place,  and  among  them 
the  True  Latter  J)ay  Saints'*  Herald,  The  Seer  and  The  Compen- 
dium. It  was  also  published  in  Beadle's  work  against  the  Mormons, 
issued  in  1870.  It  reads  as  folllows: 

"Verily  thus  saith  the  Lord,  concerning  the  wars  that  will  shortly  come  to 
pass,  beginning  at  the  rebellion  of  South  Carolina,  which  will  eventually 
terminate  in  the  death  and  misery  of  many  souls.  The  days  will  come  that 
war  will  be  poured  out  upon  all  nations,  beginning  at  that  place;  for  behold 
the  Southern  States  shall  be  divided  against  the  Northern  States,  and  the 
Southern  States  will  call  on  other  nations,  even  the  nation  of  Great  Britain, 
as  it  is  called,  and  they  shall  also  call  upon  other  nations,  in  order  to  defend 
themselves  against  other  nations:  and  thus  shall  war  be  poured  out  upon 
all  nations.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  after  many  days,  slaves  shall  rise  up 
against  their  masters,  who  shall  be  marshaled  and  disciplined  for  war.  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass  also,  that  the  remnants  who  are  left  of  the  land  shall 
marshal  themselves,  and  shall  become  exceeding  angry,  and  shall  vex  the 
Gentiles  with  a  sore  vexation  ;  and  thus,  with  the  sword,  and  by  bloodshed, 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  shall  mourn;  and  with  famine,  and  plague,  and 
earthquakes,  and  the  thunder  of  heaven,  and  the  fierce  and  vivid  lightnings 
also,  shall  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  be  made  to  feel  the  wrath  and  indig- 
nation and  chastening  hand  of  an  Almighty  God,  until  the  consumption  de- 
creed hath  made  a  full  end  of  all  nations,  that  the  cry  of  the  Saints,  and  the 
blood  of  the  Saints,  shall  cease  to  come  up  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Saba- 
oth,  from  the  earth,  to  be  avenged  of  their  enemies.  Wherefore,  stand  ye 
in  holy  places,  and  be  not  moved,  until  the  day  of  the  Lord  come:  for  be- 
hold it  cometh  quickly,  saith  the  Lord.  Amen." 

This  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  prophecies  of  this  or  any 
other  age.  It  is  lengthy,  definite,  precise,  full  of  eminent  points 
without  "ifs,"  or  "buts,"  and  was  the  very  opposite  of  the  popular 
ideas  of  the  times  in  which  it  was  given  and  in  which  it  was  first 
published. 

Some  claim  that  it  has  been  gotten  up  since  the  rebellion  to  suit 
the  events  transpiring  during  that  time.  They  see  that  it  contains  a 
true  and  definite  summary  of  the  history  made  during  that  period, 
yet  they  dislike  to  believe  that  Joseph  Smith  uttered  the  prophecy. 
Such  persons  usually  laud  and  glorify  the  prophets  of  the  long- 


THE  REBELLION.  185 

ago,  but  they  will  neither  hear,  investigate  the  claims  of,  nor  re- 
spect modern  prophets.  They  are  of  that  class  who  revere  the 
seers  of  the  misty  past  who  lived,  and  taught,  and  suffered  two 
thousand  or  five  thousand  years  before  them, — but  God,  they  con- 
clude, will  hold  no  direct  communication  with  man  in  this  age  of 
the  world,  and  a  claim  that  he  may,  and  does,  they  hold  should  be 
scoffed  at  as  an  imposture. 

There  is  an  abundance  of  documentary  evidence  of  the  genuine- 
ness of  the  revelation,  showing  that  it  was  in  existence — in  print 
— as  early  as  1851,  nine  years' before  the  rebellion.  Mr.  Beadle 
in  his  work  against  the  Mormons  states  that  he  copied  it  out  of 
The  /Seer,  a  work  published  by  O.  Pratt,  in  Washington,  D.  C.,  in 
1853,  seven  years  before  the  rebellion.  And  Mr.  John  Hyde  who 
wrote  a  work  against  the  Mormons  entitled  "Mormonism,"  which 
was  issued  by  Fetridge  &  Co.,  of  New  York  City,  in  1857,  cites 
this  same  revelation  on  page  174,  and  he  did  it  in  order  to  prove 
that  Joseph  was  a  false  prophet.  He  verily  thought  within  him- 
self, no  doubt,  that  such  a  series  of  events  as  Joseph  Smith  had  pre- 
dicted could  never  occur,  and  he  probably  felt  fully  justified  in 
denouncing  the  prophecy  as  false.  Nor  was  he  alone  in  the 
thought  that  such  things  could  never  occur.  It  was  the  universal 
sentiment  with  all  people,  except  well-informed  Datter  Day  Saints. 
They  knew  of  the  prophecy  and  confidently  looked  for  its  fulfill- 
ment. 

Such  an  event  as  the  rebellion  of  the  Southern  States  was  im- 
probable— highly  improbable — at  that  time,  as  were  many,  if 
not  all  the  other  events  predicted  in  the  prophecy.  The  prophecy 
states,  what  was  very  improbable,  that  "the  Southern  states  shall 
be  divided  against  the  Northern  States."  And  yet  every  South- 
ern State  was  arrayed  against  the  Northern  States  in  the  rebellion. 
The  prophecy  said  the  war  would  begin  at  the  rebellion  of  South 
Carolina.  South  Carolina  began  the  rebellion,  December  20th, 
1860;  and  on  the  12th  of  the  following  April  war  actually  began 
by  the  Confederacy,  her  troops  firing  upon  and  capturing  Fort 
Sumpter. 

The  Southern  States  did  "call  on  other  nations," — upon  Great 
Britain  and  France,  and  this,  too,  in  order  to  "defend  themselves 
[diplomatically]  against  other  nations;"  for,  by  this  time,  they 
had  assumed  the  defensive,  as  the  revelation  teaches  they  finally 
would  do.  They  sought  to  be  recognized  by  the  nations  as  bellig- 
erents, and  thus  secure  themselves  against  the  influence  and  co- 
operation of  other  nations  in  favor  of  the  Northern  States,  and 


186  THE  KEBELLION. 

further,  to  obtain   material  aid  in  order  to    defend   themselves 
against  the  invading  armies  of  the  Northern  States. 

"And  thus  war  shall  be  poured  out  upon  all  nations."  That  is, 
beginning  with  our  national  rebellion,  war  would  go  forth  and 
finally  occur  among  all  nations.  It  is  a  prominent  fact,  that,  since 
the  beginning  of  the  rebellion,  war  has  been  unusually  prevalent, 
widespread,  and  sanguinary. 

Taking  advantage  of  our  national  troubles,  Louis  Napoleon, 
Emperor  of  France,  and  Francis  Joseph,  Emperor  of  Austria, 
sought  by  a  bloody  war  to  establish  an  empire  in  Mexico  and  to 
place  Maximillian  upon  its  throne,  but  they  failed  in  the  attempt. 

South  America,  Central  America,  France,  Italy,  Austria,  Den- 
mark, Spain,  Cuba,  Holland,  Russia,  Germany,  Greece,  Turkey, 
Egypt,  Algeria,  China,  Japan,  Corea,  with  many  districts  in  Asia 
and  Africa,  have  been  visited  with  the  war-fiend  since  the  rebell- 
ion of  South  Carolina,  in  1860. 

In  these  wars  millions  of  lives  have  been  lost  and  oceans  of 
treasure  expended;  but  the  end  is  not  yet.  The  spirit  of  war 
seems  rife  in  every  land  and  among  all  nations.  Russia,  the 
"Gog"  of  Ezekiel  38th  chapter,  is  restive  and  aggressive,  ready  to 
enter  upon  a  war  likely  to  embroil  all  Europe  and  Asia  and 
northern  Africa,  and  one  that  will  materially  change  the  bounda- 
ries of  the  nations,  and  go  far  to  prepare  the  way  for  the  restora- 
tion of  Israel  and  Judah. 

The  war  equipments  of  the  nations,  by  land  and  sea,  are  far 
more  extensive  and  highly  perfected,  than  ever  before  known. 
For  instance,  the  forces  of  Austria  amount  at  present  to  near 
856,980  men.  Russia  has  augmented  her  armies  to  near  1,519,810 
men.  The  aggregate  military  strength*of  Italy  is  near  605,200. 
The  German  empire  can  summon  to  the  field  1,261,160  men.  The 
French  army  is  about  977,660  strong.  The  land-forces  alone  of 
Great  Britain  number  over  478,820  men,  besides  which  her  navy 
is  the  largest  in  the  world.  The  Swedish  army  numbers  about 
274,510.  The  number  of  soldiers  now  at  the  disposal  of  all  the 
European  governments  amount  to  between  6,000,000  and  7,000,- 
000,  an  increase  of  over  one-third  in  number  since  1859.  And 
still  they  are  arming.  The  trust  of  nations  to-day  is  mainly  in 
their  strength,  their  wealth,  their  wisdom,  and  their  military  prow- 
ess, rather  than  in  truth  and  righteousness. 

"After  many  days,  slaves  shall  rise  up  against  their  masters, 
who  shall  be  marshaled  and  disciplined  for  war."  Not  less  than 
200,000  of  the  blacks  were  enrolled  in  the  armies  of-  the  North; 


INDIAN  WARS.  187 

and  they  were,  as  the  prophecy  indicates,  "marshaled  and  disci- 
plined" by  white  officers;  and  their  arms  were  directed  against 
their  former  masters.  These  facts  are  so  patent  that  comment  is 
not  needed. 

And  "the  remnants  who  are  left  of  the  land,  [the  Indians],  will 
marshal  themselves,  and  shall  become  exceeding  angry,  and  shall 
vex  the  Gentiles  with  a  sore  vexation."  This  is  precisely  what 
has  been  done.  The  Indians  did  "marshal  themselves"  against 
the  whites  as  early  as  in  August  1862,  and  they  have  been  waging 
war  against  them  from  time  to  time  until  the  present.  The  mas- 
sacre in  Minnesota,  which  took  place  August,  1862,  was  a  terribly 
cruel  and  heart-rending  affair.  Two  thousand  persons  were  bar- 
barously slaughtered  in  a  few  hours.  Nameless  outrages  were 
perpetrated;  and  the  losses  sustained,  pecuniarily,  by  the  govern- 
ment and  by  individuals,  amounted  to  over  $25,000,000.  A  writer 
has  graphically  said: 

"From  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  the  rock-bound  coast  of  New 
England,  in  the  winter  of  1620,  until  their  descendants  had  passed  the  cen- 
ter of  the  continent,  and  reached  the  lovely  plains  of  Minnesota,  no  exhi- 
bition of  Indian  character  had  so  afflicted  and  appalled  the  soul  of  humanity, 
as  the  fearful  and  deliberate  massacre  perpetrated  by  them  in  August,  1862. 
„  .  .  The  blow  fell  like  a  storm  of  thunderbolts  from  the  clear,  bright 
heavens.  The  storm  of  fierce,  savage  murder,  in  its  most  horrid  and  fright- 
ful forms,  rolled  on.  Day  passed  and  night  came,  until  the  sad  catalogue 
reached  the  fearful  number  of  two  thousand  human  victims,  from  the  gray- 
haired  sire  to  the  helpless  infant  of  a  day,  who  lay  mangled  and  dead  on 
the  ensanguined  field.  ...  In  two  days  the  whole  work  of  murder  was 
done,  with  here  and  there  exceptional  cases  in  different  settlements.  And, 
during  these  two  days,  a  population  of  thirty  thousand,  scattered  over  some 
eight  counties,  on  the  western  borders  of  the  State,  on  foot,  on  horseback, 
with  teams  of  oxen  and  horses,  under  the  momentum  of  the  panic  thus  cre- 
ated, were  rushing  wildly  and  frantically  over  the  prairies  to  places  of  safe- 
ty."— Indian  Massacres. 

The  Indians  "marshaled  themselves"  as  foreshown  in  the  proph- 
ecy,— no  whites  having  a  hand  in  that  matter.  The  bad  treatment 
which  they  had  received  from  the  whites — the  Indian  agents  and 
traders  in  particular — had  much  to  do  in  causing  these  outrages, 
— it  made  them  "exceeding  angry," — yet,  as  said  before,  the 
whites  had  nothing  to  do  in  marshaling  them,  or  directing  them 
in  their  sanguinary  work. 

These  Indian  wars  are  costly  as  well  as  cruel;  and  hence,  in 
more  ways  than  one,  are  they  "a  sore  vexation"  to  our  tax-bur- 
dened nation.  It  has  been  reported  that  for  every  Indian  captured 
and  killed  during  some  of  the  Indian  wars  since  1862,  it  has  cost 
the  whites  the  lives  of  nine  white  men,  and  $5,000,000  in  money. 


188  FAMINE— PLAGUE. 

This  may  be  a  slight  exaggeration,  yet  it  -is  probably  not  far  from 
the  truth.  The  enormous  expense,  with  the  loss  of  human  life, 
and  the  various  perplexities  connected  with  these  wars,  and  the 
whole  Indian  question,  are  sources  of  "sore  vexation"  to  the 
whites,  and  from  which  there  are  no  prospects  of  speedy  and  per- 
manent relief. 

As  for  the  terrors  of  "famine  and  plague"  predicted,  they  have 
been  so  widespread  and  destructive  since  1860  that  the  bare  men- 
tion of  them  ought  to  satisfy  the  reader  of  the  truthfulness  of  this 
item  of  prophecy.  In  India  alone  there  have  been  numerous  fam- 
ines with  terrible  loss  of  life  since  1860,  prominent  among  them 
that  which  occurred  in  1866,  in  which  thousands  perished  of  starv- 
ation weekly.  The  official  reports  showed  that  there  were  mil- 
lions of  deaths  in  all. 

In  1867  and  1868  there  was  a  great  lack  of  food  supplies  in  the 
Southern  States;  and  in  England  and  France  hundreds  of  thous- 
ands were  in  a  state  of  semi-starvation.  Germany  and  Eastern 
Prussia  were  in  a  similar  condition,  while  in  Russia  both  pesti- 
lence and  famine  raged  terribly.  In  Finland,  in  Algiers,  in  Tunis, 
and  in  other  localities  in  Europe  and  Asia,  it  was  no  better. 
"Fully  100,000  Arabs  have  fallen  victims  within  the  last  six 
months,"  wrote  the  Archbishop  of  Algiers.  Persia  has  been 
nearly  annihilated  by  famine  and  pestilence.  Of  the  year  1871, 
the  Chicago  Tribune,  November  15th,  1871,  says: 

"War,  famine,  pestilence,  fire,  wind  and  water,  and  ice,  have  been  let 
loose  and  have  done  their  worst,  and  with  such  appalling  results,  and  with 
such  remarkable  phen  =mena  accompanying  them,  that  it  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at  men  have  sometimes  thought  that  the  end  of  the  world  had  come." 

Want  of  space  forbids  our  itemizing  at  any  length  in  regard  to 
the  calamities  predicted;  suffice  it 'to  say,  that  in  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  world  "famine  and  plague  have  sorely  afflicted  the  sons  of 
men,  and  sent  many  millions  to  an  untimely  grave." 

The  latter  part  of  the  prophecy  states  that  the  "chastening  hand 
of  an  Almighty  God,"  through  the  judgments  mentioned  in  the 
prophecy,  will  be  upon  the  nations  until  God  "hath  made  a  full 
end  of  all  nations,  that  the  cry  oftJie  Saints,  and  the  BLOOD  of  the 
Saints,  shall  cease  to  come  up  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Saba- 
oth  to  be  avenged  of  their  enemies."  "The  cry  of  the  Saints," 
and  the  "blood  of  the  Saints"  here  mentioned,  pointed  to  their 
persecutions,  barbarously  cruel,  fiendish  and  bloody,  as  they 
proved  to  be.  The  first  violent  persecution  of  the  body  of  the 
Saints  began  at  Independence,  Missouri,  July  20th,  1833.  An 
armed  mob  was  organized  under  the  leadership  of  George  Simp- 


PERSECUTIONS.  189 

son,  and  was  either  countenanced  or  abetted  by  many  ministers  of 
religion  and  government  officials. 

The  printing  press  of  the  church  was  principally  destroyed,  in- 
cluding book-work,  furniture,  apparatus,  and  type,  also  the  print- 
ing office,  with  the  dwelling  house  of  the  editor.  The  Evening 
and  Morning  Star,  and  the  Upper  Missouri  Advertizer,  the  one  a 
monthly  and  the  other  a  weekly  paper,  were  forcibly  stopped,  and 
their  further  publication  forbidden. 

A  number  were  whipped,  tarred  and  feathered,  among  them 
Edward  Partridge,  also  Charles  Allen  late  of  Council  Bluffs. 
Some  received  a  pelting  with  rocks  and  a  beating  with  guns  and 
sticks.  Ten  houses  were  partly  demolished,  and  standing  grain  in 
some  places  destroyed;  but,  worst  of  all,  a  Bro.  Barber  was 
killed,  and  some  others  seriously  wounded. 

The  grounds  upon  which  this  persecution  began  were,  to  use 
the  language  of  those  connected  with  it,  as  seen  in  the  published 
proceedings,  printed  in  The  Western  Monitor,  August  2d,  1833,  for 
the  mobbers  "to  rid  themselves  of  the  sect  of  fanatics,  called  Mor- 
mons;" "this  singular  sect  of  pretended  Christians;"  "they  now 
number  twelve  hundred  souls  in  this  [Jackson]  county."  "Ele- 
vated, as  they  mostly  are,  but  little  above  the  condition  of  our 
blacks,  either  in  regard  to  property  or  education,  they  have  be- 
come a  subject  of  much  anxiety  on  that  part,  serious  and  well 
grounded  complaints  having  been  already  made  of  their  corrupt- 
ing influence  on  our  slaves."  "We  are  daily  told,  and  not  by  the 
ignorant  alone,  but  by  all  classes  of  them,  that  we  (the  Gentiles) 
of  this  county,  are  to  be  cut  off,  and  our  lands  appropriated  by 
them  for  inheritances.  Whether  this  is  to  be  accomplished  by 
the  hand  of  the  destroying  angel,  the  judgments  of  God,  or  the 
arm  of  power,  they  are  not  fully  agreed  among  themselves." 
"They  openly  blaspheme  the  Most  High  God,  and  cast. contempt 
on  his  holy  religion,  by  pretending  to  receive  revelations  direct 
from  heaven;  by  pretending  to  speak  unknown  tongues  by  direct 
inspiration;  and  by  divers  pretences  derogatory  to  God  and  re- 
ligion, and  to  the  utter  subversion  of  human  reason."  "What 
would  be  the  fate  of  our  lives  and  property  in  the  hands  of  jurors 
and  witnesses,  who  do  not  blush  to  declare,  and  would  not  upon 
any  occasion  hesitate  to  swear,  that  they  have  wrought  miracles, 
and  have  been  the  subjects  of  miraculous  and  supernatural  cures, 
and  have  conversed  with  God  and  his  angels,  and  possess  and  ex- 
ercise the  gifts  of  divination,  and  of  unknown  tongues,  and  fired 
with  the  prospect  of  obtaining  inheritances  without  money  and 


190  EXTERMINATION. 

without  price — may  be  better  imagined  than  described."  "One  of 
the  means  resorted  to  by  them  in  order  to  drive  us  to  emigrate,  is 
an  indirect  invitation  to  the  free  brethren  of  color  in  Illinois,  to 
come  up  like  the  rest,  to  the  land  of  Zion.  True,  they  said  this 
was  not  intended  to  invite,  but  to  prevent  their  emigration;  but 
this  weak  attempt  to  quiet  our  apprehension,  is  but  a  poor  compli- 
ment to  our  understandings." 

Here,  dear  reader,  are  the  main  charges  upon  which  over  twelve 
hundred  souls,  free-state  and  anti-slavery  Christian  people,  were 
with  violence  sorely  persecuted  and  driven  out  of  Jackson  county,. 
Missouri,  the  persecutors  themselves  being  the  witnesses! 

From  July  20th,  when  the  violent  persecutions  began,  till  No- 
vember of  the  same  year,  the  Saints  had  but  little  rest  from  their 
enemies,  though  they  sought  patiently  for  that  protection  which 
was  assured  by  the  laws  of  Missouri,  and  of  our  nation,  but  they 
sought  in  vain. 

While  the  Saints  were  fleeing  from  their  merciless  persecutors 
into  Clay  and  adjoining  counties,  the  Lord  displayed  his  glory  in 
the  heavens  to  the  comfort  and  delight  of  his  smitten  and  afflict- 
ed  people.  The  heavens  on  the  night  of  the  12th  of  November 
were  made  grandly  beautiful  by  the  "falling  stars," — a  sign  to  the 
Saints  that  the  coming  of  Christ  is  near: 

"In  Zion,  [Missouri]  all  heaven  seemed  enwrapped  in  splendid  fireworks, 
as  if  every  star  in  the  broad  expanse  had  been  suddenly  hurled  from  its 
course,  and  sent  lawless  through  the  wilds  of  ether.  .  .  .  Beautiful  and 
terrific  as  was  the  scenery,  which  might  be  compared  to  the  falling  figs,  or 
fruit,  when  the  tree  is  shaken  by  a  mighty  wind,  yet  it  will  not  fully  com- 
pare writh  the  time  when'  the  sun  shall  become  black  like  sackcloth  of  hair, 
the  moon  like  blood,  and  the  stars  fall  to  the  earth." — Joseph  Smith. 

Most  of  those  driven  from  Jackson  county  went  to  Clay  county, 
where  they  were  received  with  some  degree  of  kindness.  The 
Saints  continued  to  gather  into  Missouri,  chiefly  into  Clay,  Rayr 
Daviess,  and  Caldwell  counties,  until  1837,  when  persecution  again 
stretched  forth  her  merciless  and  bloody  hand  against  them,  and 
they  were  mobbed,  robbed,  and  finally,  in  the  late  fall  of  1838,  were 
driven  out  of  the  state  into  Illinois  under  the  exterminating  order 
of  Gov.  Lilburn  W.  Boggs.  The  church  in  Missouri  numbered  at 
this  time  12,000  or  more.  In  this  persecution  well  nigh  every 
barbarity  was  practiced  that  brutal  lust  or  fiendish  cruelty  could 
suggest;  property  was  stolen  and  burned;  persons  beaten  and 
maimed;  others  wounded  nigh  unto  death,  and  many  killed.  An 
infirm  old  revolutionary  soldier,  when  pleading  for  mercy,  and 
telling  of  his  services  as  a  soldier  in  procuring  our  dearly-bought 


PERSECUTION.  191 

liberties^  was  hacked  to  death  with  a  corn  cutter.  A  little  inno- 
cent lad,  who,  when  hunted  like  a  beast,  had  taken  refuge  in  a 
blacksmith  shop  at  Haun's  Mills,  was  shot  to  death  through  the 
head  in  cold  blood;  women  were  ravished,  and  an  amount  of  ex- 
posure and  suffering  forced  upon  many  that  resulted  in  death,  or 
in  permanently  impairing  their  health  and  usefulness. 

Surely  "the  cry  of  the  Saints,  and  of  the  blood  of  the  Saints" 
did  now,  from  seven  months  to  five  years  after  the  prophecy  was 
uttered,  ascend  up  into  the  ears  of  the  Lord  of  Sabaoth. 

TESTIMONY    OF   PROF.  TURNER. 

Professor  Turner,  sometime  of  Illinois  College,  an  open  and  bitter 
opponent  of  the  Church  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints,  in  writing  of 
the  conduct  of  Missouri  towards  the  Mormons,  says: 

"Who  began  the  quarrel?  Was  it  the  Mormons?  Is  it  not  notorious,  on 
the  contrary,  that  they  were  hunted  like  wild  beasts,  from  county  to  county,, 
before  they  made  any  desperate  resistance?  Did  they  ever,  as  a  body,  re- 
fuse obedience  to  the"  laws,  when  called  upon  to  do  so,  until  driven  to  des- 
peration by  repeated  threats  and  assaults  from  the  mob?  Did  the  State  ever 
make  one  decent  effort  to  defend  them  as  fellow  citizens  in  their  rights,  or 
to  redress  their  wrongs?  Let  the  conduct  of  its  governors,  attorneys,  and 
the  fate  of  their  final  petitions  answer.  Have  any  who  plundered  and 
openly  massacred  the  Mormons  ever  been  brought  to  the  punishment  due 
to  their  crimes  ?  Let  the  boasting  murderers  of  begging  and  helpless  infan- 
cy answer.  Has  the  State  ever  remunerated,  even  those  known  to  be  inno- 
cent, for  the  loss  of  either  their  property  or  their  arms?  Did  either  the 
pulpit  or  the  press  throughout  the  State  raise  a  note  of  remonstrance  or 
alarm?  Let  the  clergymen  who  abetted,  and  the  editors  who  encouraged 
the  mob  answer." 

Thus  speaks  one  of  our  bitterest,  yet  comparatively  honorable 
opponents. 

Nor  did  persecution  stop  even  here.  Its  fires  were  again  kindled 
in  Illinois,  in  Hancock  county  and  vicinity  in  1843  to  1846,  result- 
ing in  terrible  suffering  and  great  loss  of  life. 

DESOLATION;  WEEPING. 

The  persecutions  of  1838,  in  Missouri,  were  clearly  set  forth  in 
a  prophecy  given  through  Joseph  Smith,  at  J£irtland,  Ohio,  July 
23d,  1837,  one  year  and  more  before  the  persecution  occurred. 
See  Doctrine  and  Covenants  105:  9.  It  reads: 

"Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  darkness  covereth  the  earth,  and  gross 
darkness  the  minds  of  the  people,  and  all  flesh  has  become  corrupt  before 
my  face.  Behold,  vengeance  conieth  speedily  upon  the  inhabitants  of  the 
earth — a  day  of  wrath,  a  day  of  burning,  a  day  of  desolation,  of  weeping,  of 
mourning,  of  lamentation — and  as  a  whirlwind  it  shall  come  upon  all  the 
face  of  the  earth,  saith  the  Lord.  And  upon  my  house  [the  church]  shall 
it  begin,  and  from  my  house  shall  it  go  forth,  saith  the  Lord." 


192  HUMAN  PREDICTIONS. 

The  "wrath,"  the  "burning,"  the  "desolation,"  the  "weeping," 
the  "mourning,"  and  the  "lamentation"  here  predicted,  which  are 
to  go  forth  among  all  nations,  did  come  upon  the  church  suddenly, 
"as  a  whirlwind,"  with  all  its  fearful  and  terrible  destructiveness. 
No  one,  unless  inspired  of  God,  could  have  foretold,  with  such  pre- 
cision and  clearness,  the  bitter  persecutions  suifered  by  the  Saints 
in  Missouri. 

The  persecutions  and  scattering  of  the  Saints  from  Nauvoo,  were 
foretold  by  Joseph.  His  death,  likewise,  he  himself  foretold.  On 
parting  with  his  wife,  at  Nauvoo,  when  he  went  to  Carthage  jail 
under  promise  of  protection  from  Governor  Thomas  Ford,  he  told 
her  he  would  never  see  his  family  again — that  his  work  was  done 
— that  he  was  going  to  rest — that  the  church  would  be  broken  up 
and  scattered,  and  instructed  her  to  remain  with  the  family  at 
Nauvoo,  or  take  them  to  Kirtland,  Ohio.  More  than  once,  just 
prior  to  his  death,  he  predicted  that  if  Brigham  Young  should  get 
the  lead  of  the  church  he  would  lead  it  to  hell.  Scores  of  the  old- 
time  Saints  testify  to  this. 

It  would  be  the  height  of  folly  to  say  that  these  prophecies  of 
Joseph,  so  numerous,  so  definite,  and  so  unlikely  to  be  fulfilled, 
were  mere  conjectures  or  guesses,  like  many  made  by  human  wis- 
dom alone.  That  military  genius,  Napoleon,  tried  his  skill  in  mak- 
ing predictions.  He  said,  "In  fifty  years  all  Europe  will  be  either 
Oossack  or  Republican."  More  than  the  "fifty  years"  have  passed 
away,  and  the  prediction  is  found  false. 

Vettius  Vallens,  a  wise  man  of  Rome  and  a  pagan  oracle,  pre- 
dicted that  'If  it  be  true  as  historians  say,  that  Romulus  saw  twelve 
vultures  at  the  founding  of  Rome,  that  signifies  that  it  should  exist 
for  twelve  centuries."  But  Rome,  under  its  eight  different  forms 
of  government,  existed  for  more  than  twenty-six  centuries. 

The  fate  of  human  predictions,  however  wise  their  authors,  is 
failure. 

JOSEPH  SLAIN. 

Joseph  was  assassinated  in  Carthage  jail,  Hancock  county,  Illinois, 
June  27th,  1844,  at  the  age  of  thirty-eight  years  and  six  months, 
after  a  most  eventful  life,  seventeen  years  of  which  were  marked 
with  great  activities,  great  perplexities  and  numerous  persecutions. 
Those  who  knew  him  best  loved  him  most.  He  was  misunderstood 
and  misapprehended  by  the  masses;  blindly  opposed  by  the  pulpit 
and  the  press  in  many  instances;  maligned  and  slandered  by  his 
enemies;  and  his  sentiment  perverted,  misconstrued  and  misstated 
by  those  who  should  have  been  his  truest  friends. 


SPIRITUALISM.  193 

His  work  was  great  in  the  foundations  which  he  laid,  rather 
than  in  the  immediate  results  which  he  wrought  out.  The  great 
truths  of  God,  and  the  exalted  principles  of  life  and  salvation  given 
to  the  race  through  him,  will  live  and  be  earnestly  cherished  by  the 
faithful  and  true,  when  the  hoary  errors  and  the  gilded  and  flimsy 
theories  of  uninspired  men  will  be  remembered  only  with  sorrow, 
and  mentioned  only  with  pity  an  contempt. 

Joseph  uttered  many  predictions  concerning  the  spiritual  mani- 
festations with  which  the  world  is  now  being  deluged  and  deceived. 
In  May,  1831,  while  he  was  young  in  years,  and  limited  in  worldly 
wisdom,  the  Lord  said  through  him  to  the  elders  of  the  church: 

"Behold,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  there  are  many  spirits  which  are  false 
spirits,  which  have  gone  forth  in  the  earth,  deceiving  the  world  :  and  also 
Satan  hath  sought  to  deceive  you,  that  he  might  overthrow  you." — D.  &  C. 
sec.  50,  par.  1. 

In  June,  1831,  the  following  was  revealed  to  the  Elders  through 
him: 

"And  again  I  will  give  you  a  pattern  in  all  things,  that  ye  may  not  be  de- 
ceived ;  for  Satan  is  abroad  in  the  land,  and  he  goeth  forth  deceiving  the 
nations;  wherefore  he  that  prayeth,  whose  spirit  is  contrite,  the  same  is  ac- 
cepted of  me  if  he  obey  mine  ordinances.  He  that  speaketh  whose  spirit  is 
contrite,  whose  language  is  meek,  and  edifieth,  the  same  is  of  God  if  he  obey 
mine  ordinances.  And  again,  he  that  trembleth  under  my  power  shall  be 
made  strong,  and  shall  bring  forth  fruits  of  praise,  and  wisdom,  according 
to  [i.  e.,  in  harmony  with]  the  revelations  and  truths  I  have  given  you. 
And  again,  he  that  is  overcome  and  bringeth  not  forth  fruits,  even  accord- 
ing to  this  pattern,  is  not  of  me ;  wherefore  by  this  pattern  ye  shall  know 
the  spirits  in  all  cases  under  the  whole  heavens.  And  the  days  have  come, 
according  to  men's  faith  it  shall  be  done  unto  them." — Doc.  &  Cov.  52:4,  5. 

MAN  OF  SIN. 

A  short  time  before  this  revelation  was  given  a  number  of  per- 
sons in  the  church  at  Kirtland  had  been  deceived  and  strangely 
handled  by  false  spirits.  Some  were  so  far  possessed  by  them  as 
to  lose  all  control  of  either  mind  or  body.  The  physical  manifes- 
tations were  startling  and  peculiar,  while  those  of  a  mental  or 
spiritual  character  were  such  as  to  bewilder  and  mislead  the  un- 
wary and  unskillful.  Joseph  and  Hyrum  readily  detected  the 
arch  enemy  and  proclaimed  against  him.  Of  this  Joseph  wrote  in 
his  Church  History: 

"The  6th  of  June,  [1831]  the  Elders  from  the  various  parts  of  the  country 

where  they  were  laboring  came  in,  and  the  Conference,  before  appointed, 

convened  in  Kirtland,  and  the  Lord  displayed  his  power  in  a  manner  that 

could  not  be  mistaken.    The  man  of  sin  was  revealed,  and  the  authority  of 

13 


194  TRY  THE  SPIRITS. 

the  Melchisedec  priesthood  was  manifested,  and  conferred  for  the  first  time 
upon  several  of  the  Elders.  It  was  clearly  evident  that  the  Lord  gave  us 
power  in  proportion  to  the  work  to  be  done,  and  strength  according  to  the 
race  set  before  us,  and  grace  and  help  as  our  needs  required." — Times  and 
Seasons,  vol.  5,  page  416. 

These  newly  appointed  High  Priests  were  now  honored,  ap- 
proved and  sustained  of  God  in  this  perilous  hour  when  Satan 
with  his  cunning  and  might  sought  to  deceive  the  Saints,  over- 
power the  ministry  of  Christ,  and  overthrow  the  Church  of  God. 

The  origin,  character,  operations,  and  final  state  of  these  spirits, 
had  been  revealed  to  Joseph  before  this.  In  September,  1830,  the 
Lord  said  of  them: 

"Behold,  the  devil  was  before  Adam,  for  he  rebelled  against  me,  saying, 
Give  me  thine  honor,  which  is  my  power;  and  also  a  third  part  of  the  hosts 
of  heaven  turned  he  away  from  me  because  of  their  agency  ;  and  they  were 
thrust  down,  and  thus  became  the  devil  and  his  angels  ;  and  behold,  there 
is  a  place  prepared  for  them  from  the  beginning,  which  place  is  hell;  and  it 
must  needs  be  that  the  devil  should  tempt  the  children  of  men,  or  they 
could  not  be  agents  unto  themselves,  for  if  they  never  should  have  bitter, 
they  could  not  know  the  sweet."— D.  &  C.  28:10. 

Of  spirit  manifestations  Joseph  wrote  in  A.  D.  1839: 

"We  are  to  try  the  spirits  and  prove  them,  for  it  is  often  the  case  that  men 
make  a  mistake  in  regard  to  these  things.  God  has  so  ordained  that  when  he 
has  commuicated,  no  vision  is  to  be  taken  but  what  you  see  by  the  seeing 
of  the  eye,  or  what  you  hear  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear.  When  you  see  a 
vision,  pray  for  the  interpretation ;  if  you  get  not  this,  shut  it  up;  there 
must  be  certainty  in  this  matter.  An  open  vision  will  manifest  that  which 
is  more  important.  Lying  spirits  are  going  forth  in  the  earth.  There  will 
be  great  manifestations  of  spirits,  both  false  and  true.  Being  born  again, 
comes  by  the  Spirit  of  God  through  ordinances.  An  angel  of  God  never  has 
wings.  Some  will  say  that  they  have  seen  a  spirit ;  that  he  offered  them 
his  hand,  but  they  did  not  touch  it.  This  is  a  lie.  First,  it  is  contrary  to 
the  plan  of  God  ;  a  spirit  can  not  come  but  in  glory  ;  [as  Moses  and  Elias 
Matt.  17 : 3-13.  Ed]  ;  an  angel  has  flesh  and  bones ;  we  see  not  their  glory. 
The  devil  may  appear  as  an  angel  of  light.  Ask  God  to  reveal  it ;  if  it  be  of 
the  devil  he  will  flee  from  you  ;  if  of  God,  he  will  manifest  himself,  or  make 
it  manifest.  We  may  come  to  Jesus  and  ask  him  ;  he  will  know  all  about 
it ;  if  he  comes  to  a  little  child  he  will  adapt  himself  to  the  language  and  ca- 
pacity of  a  little  child.  Every  spirit,  or  vision,  or  singing,  is  not  of  God. 
The  devil  is  an  orator;  he  is  powerful;  he  took  our  Savior  on  to  a  pinnacle 
of  the  temple  and  kept  him  in  the  wilderness  for  forty  days.  The  gift  of 
discerning  of  spirits  will  be  given  to  the  Presiding  Elder.  Pray  for  him 
that  he  may  have  this  gift.  Speak  not  in  the  gift  of  tongues  without  under- 
standing it,'  or  without  interpretation.  The  devil  can  speak  in  tongues;  the 
adversary  will  come  with  his  work;  he  can  tempt' all  classes;  can  speak 
in  English  or  Dutch.  Let  no  one  speak  in  tongues  unless  he  interpret,  ex- 
cept by  the  consent  of  the  one  who  is  placed  to  preside;  then  he  may  dis- 
cern or  interpret,  or  another  may." — Mill.  Star.  17 :312. 


JOSEPH'S  SEED.  195 

By  the  foregoing  we  see  that  Joseph  was  thoroughly  informed 
in  regard  to  spirit  manifestations;  and  that  he  foreknew,  clearly, 
the  going  forth  of  lying  spirits  in  the  earth,  and  that  there  would 
"be  great  manifestations  of  spirits,  both  false  and  true." 

He  also,  by  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  direct  revelation,  pro- 
claimed that  soon  after  that  book  came  forth  the  Lord  would 
speedily  prepare  the  way  among  the  nations  for  the  restoration  of 
Israel  and  Judah  to  their  lands,  and  that  the  land  of  Palestine 
would  soon  become  "a  fruitful  field,"  all  of  which  is  being  ful- 
filled. 

JOSEPH'S  SEED. 

Joseph  predicted  that  his  "seed,"  his  "posterity,"  would  be 
called  to  fill  his  office  and  "plead  the  cause  of  injured  innocence."- 
D.  C.  84:3;  107: 18;  Times  and  Seasons  vol  .5:395 — "While  water 
runs  and  grass  grows;  while  virtue  is  lovely  and  vice  hateful;  and 
while  a  stone  points  out  a  sacred  spot  where  a  fragment  of  Amer- 
ican liberty  once  was;  I  or  my  posterity  will  plead  the  cause  of  in- 
jured innocence  until  Missouri  makes  atonement  for  all  her  sins 
— or  sinks  disgraced,"  etc. 

FREE  THE  SLAVES. 

He  advised  in  1844,  that  the  slave  States  "abolish  slavery  by 
1850,"  and  "pray  Congress  to  pay  every  man  a  reasonable  price 
for  his  slaves."  He  further  said,  "Break  off  the  shackles  from  the 
poor  black  men,  and  hire  them  to  labor  like  other  human  beings; 
for  "an  hour  of  virtuous  liberty  on  earth  is  worth  a  whole  eternity 
of  bondage.'  " — Times  and  Seasons  5:  532. 

The  late  venerable  Josiah  Quincy,  a  graduate  in  1821  of  Har- 
vard College,  who,  in  company  with  Hon.  Charles  Francis  Adams 
and  Dr.  Goforth,  visited  and  interviewed  Joseph  Smith  at  Nauvoo, 
in  May  1844,  forty -three  days  before  the  murder  of  the  latter  in 
Carthage  jail,  Illinois,  has  this  to  say  on  pages  397-8-9  of  his 
book,  "Figures  of  the  Past,"  .as  to  the  farseeing,  Christian  wisdom, 
and  the  strikingly  humane  sentiments  of  Joseph  Smith  on  the 
slavery  question: 

"We  then  went  on  to  talk  of  politics.  Smith  recognized  the  curse  and  in- 
iquity of  slavery,  though  he  opposed  the  methods  of  the  Abolitionists.  His 
plan  was  for  the  nation  to  pay  for  the  slaves  from  the  sale  of  the  public 
lands.  'Congress/  he  said,  'should  be  compelled  to  take  this  course,  by  pe- 
titions from  all  parts  of  the  country ;  but  the  petitioners  must  disclaim  all 
alliance  with  those  who  would  disturb  the  rights  of  property  recognized  by 
the  Constitution  and  foment  insurrection.'  It  may  be  worth  while  to  re- 
mark that  Smith's  plan  was  publicly  advocated,  eleven  years  later,  by  one 
who  has  mixed  so  much  practical  shrewdness  with  his  lofty  philosophy. 


196  FREE  THE  SLAVES. 

In  1855,  when  men's  minds  had  been  moved  to  their  depths  on  the  question 
of  slavery,  Mr.  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson  declared  that  it  should  be  met  in  ac- 
cordance 'with  the  interest  of  the  South  and  with  the  settled  conscience  of 
the  North.  It  is  not  really  a  great  task,  a  great  fight  for  this  country  to  ac- 
complish, to  buy  that  property  of  the  planter,  as  the  British  nation  bought 
the  West  Indian  slaves.'  He  further  says  that  the  'United  States  will  be 
brought  to  give  every  inch  of  their  public  lands  for  a  purpose  like  this.' 
We,  who  can  look  back  upon  the  terrible  cost  of  the  fratricidal  war  which 
put  an  end  to  slavery,  now  say  that  such  a  solution  of  the  difficulty  would 
have  been  worthy  a  Christian  statesman.  But  if  the  retired  scholar  was  in 
advance  of  his  time  when  he  advocated  this  disposition  of  the  public  prop- 
erty in  1855,  what  shall  I  say  of  the  political  and  religious  leader  [Joseph 
Smith]  who  had  committed  himself,  in  print,  as  well  as  in  conversation,  to 
the  same  course  in  1844?  If  the  atmosphere  of  men's  opinions  was  stirred 
by  such  a  proposition  when  war-clouds  were  discernible  in  the  sky,  was  it 
not  a  statesmanlike  word  eleven  years  earlier,  when  the  heavens  looked  tran- 
quil and  beneficent  ? 

"General  Smith  proceeded  to  unfold  still  further  his  views  upon  politics. 
He  denounced  the  Missouri  Compromise  as  an  unjustifiable  concession  for 
the  benefit  of  slavery.  It  was  Henry  Clay's  bid  for  the  presidency.  Dr. 
Goforth  might  have  spared  himself  the  trouble  of  coming  to  Nauvoo  to  elec- 
tioneer for  a  duellist  who  would  fire  at  John  Randolph  but  was  not  brave 
enough  to  protect  the  Saints  in  their  rights  as  American  citizens.  Clay  had 
told  his  people  to  go  to  the  wilds  of  Oregon  and  set  up  a  government  of  their 
•own.  Oh  yes,  the  Saints  might  go  into  the  wilderness  and  obtain  justice  of 
the  Indians,  which  imbecile,  time-serving  politicians  would  not  give  them 
in  the  land  of  freedom  and  equality.  The  prophet  then  talked  of  the  details 
of  government.  He  thought  that  the  number  of  members  admitted  to  the 
Lower  House  of  the  National  Legislature  should  be  reduced.  A  crowd  only 
darkened  counsel  and  impeded  business.  A  member  to  every  half  million 
of  population  would  be  ample.  The  powers  of  the  President  should  be  in- 
creased. He  should  have  authority  to  put  down  rebellion  in  a  state  without 
waiting  for  the  request  of  any  governor ;  for  it  might  happen  that  the  gov- 
ernor himself  would  be  the  leader  of  the  rebels.  It  is  needless  to  remark 
how  later  events  showed  the  executive  weakness  that  Smith  pointed  out, — a  weak- 
ness which  cost  thousands  of  valuable  lives  and  millions  of  treasure;  but 
the  man  mingled  Utopian  fallacies  with  his  shrewd  suggestions.  He  talked 
as  from  a  strong  mind  utterly  unenlightened  by  the  teachings  of  history." — 
Figures  of  the  Past,  pp.  397,  398,  399. 

In  view  of  these  strong,  just  and  lofty  sentiments,  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  Mr.  Quincy  should  say: 

"It  is  by  no  means  improbable  that  some  future  text-book,  for  the  use  of 
generations  yet  unborn,  will  contain  a  question  something  like  this:  What 
historical  American  of  the  nineteenth  century  has  exerted  the  most  power- 
ful influence  upon  the  destinies  of  his  countrymen?  And  it  is  by  no  means 
impossible  that  the  answer  to  that  interrogatory  may  be  thus  written :  Jo- 
seph Smith  the  Mormon  Prophet.  And  the  reply,  absurd  as  it  doubtless  seems 
to  most  men  now  living,  may  be  an  obvious  commonplace  to  their  descend- 
ants. History  deals  in  surprises  and  paradoxes  quite  as  startling  as  this. 
The  man  who  established  a  religion  in  this  age  of  free  debate,  who  was  and 
is  to-day  accepted  by  hundreds  of  thousands  as  a  direct  emissary  from  the 
Most  High, — such  a  rare  human  being  is  not  to  be  disposed  of  by  pelting 


CHURCH  ORGANIZATION.  197 

his  memory  with  unsavory  epithets.  Fanatic,  impostor,  charlatan,  he  may 
have  been ;  but  these  hard  names  furnish  no  solution  to  the  problem  he 
presents  us.  .  .  .  The  most  vital  questions  Americans  are  asking  each 
other  to-day  have  to  do  with  this  man  and  what  he  has  left  us." — Pages 
376-7. 

The  divine  wisdom  in  this  advice  of  Joseph  is  better  seen  when 
we -state  that  the  slavery  question  began  to  be  bitterly  agitated  in 
1846-7  and  that  in  1848  the  Calhoun  dogma  of  "the  constitutional 
right  of  each  slaveholder  to  remove  with  his  slaves  into  any  Fed- 
eral territory,  and  hold  them  in  defiance  of  Congress  or  any  local 
authority,"  was  hotly  urged  by  the  pro-slavery  party,  causing  in- 
tense excitement  and  bitterness  throughout  the  nation  between  the 
pro-slavery  and  anti-slavery  elements;  and  further,  that  in  1850, 
the  fatal  year  indicated  by  Joseph,  prior  to  which  wise  measures 
would  avert  national  calamity  over  that  question,  the  Hon.  Henry 
Clay  introduced  in  Congress  his  last  famed  "Compromise"  in  the 
interest  of  Slavery,  and  that  thereafter  the  antagonisms  aroused 
on  that  subject  rendered  reconciliation  and  equitable  adjustment 
impossible — and  that  the  terrible  war  of  the  rebellion  was  the 
final  arbiter!  Joseph  evidently  foresaw  by  divine  inspiration  that 
the  only  time  for  its  peaceful  adjustment  was  "by  the  year  1850," 
and  not  later. 

NATIONAL    BANK. 

He,  in  1844,  foresaw  the  need,  and  advised  the  establishment  of 
National  Banks,  and  said: — "For  the  accomodation  of  the  people 
in  every  state  and  territory,  let  Congress  show  their  wisdom  by 
granting  a  National  Bank,  with  branches  in  each  state  and  terri- 
tory. .  .  .  And  the  bills  shall  be  par  throughout  the  nation. 
.  The  country  will  [then]  be  full  of  money  and  confidence." 
—Ibid. 

Our  nation  was  forced  to  come  to  this  at  last — but  Joseph  had 
this  wisdom  many  years  in  advance  of  the  wise  men  of  the  nation, 
as  he  did  upon  many  other  questions,  which  we  lack  time  and  space 
to  treat  of  in  these  pages. 

Nothing  short  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  revelation  and  prophecy, 
could  impart  such  facts  and  information,  and  so  plainly  make 
known  the  future. 

CHURCH    ORGANIZATION. 

Having  examined  a  few  of  the  many  fulfilled  prophecies  of 
Joseph  Smith,  we  will  add  as  further  evidence  of  his  prophetic 
character,  that  he  organized  the  Church  of  Christ  after  the  apos- 
tolic pattern  given  in  1  Cor.  12:  28;  Eph.  4:  11;  and  restored  the 


198  JOSEPH  PROPECIED. 

primitive  doctrines  and  ordinances  as  taught  and  practiced  by  the 
first  Christian  ministry,  in  all  their  divine  power  and  simplicity, 
(Heb.  6:  1-3;  Acts  2:  38;  8:  18;  9:  12;  19:  6;  13:  3;  1  Tim.  4:  14; 
Jno.  13:  4,  5;  1  Cor.  11:  23-31;  James  5:  14,  15;  Mark  10:  13-16). 
He  also  revived  and  renewed  the  same  general  promises  (John  7:16, 
17;  Mark  16:  15-18;  Acts  2:  38,  39;  John  14:  26;  15:  26;  16:  7, 
13;  1  Cor.  12;  1  John  2:  27;  3:  24;  Luke  20:  35,  36;  John  5:  28, 
29;  1  Cor.  15:22,23,41-44;  Phil.  3:20,21;  John  17:20-24; 
Rev.  20:  4,  5,  6,  12,  13;  2  Peter  3:  13,  14;  Matt  5:  5;  Rev.  5:  10). 
This  he  claimed  to  do  in  fulfillment  of  Rev.  14:  6,  7;  Mai.  4:  5,  6; 
Isaiah  11:  11,  12;  18:  3;  Luke  14:  16-24;  Matt.  20:  6. 

BOOK    OF    MORMON    BROUGHT    FORTH. 

He  brought  forth  by  inspiration  of  God  the  record  of  Joseph  in 
fulfillment  of  Ezekiel  37:  16-19, — the  "sealed  book"  of  Isaiah  29: 
11,  12,  18, — the  "truth"  of  God,  hidden  in  the  earth,  predicted  by 
David,  Psalms  85:  11,  and  the  "law"  to  Ephraim,  Hos.  8:  12,  as  is 
demonstrated  in  the  former  pages  of  this  work. 

His  was  the  usual  fate  of  God's  prophets — hated,  persecuted, 
and  destroyed  by  his  enemies  (Matt.  23:  34;  Acts  7:  52);  yet  ten- 
derly and  passionately  beloved  by  all  those  who  knew  him  and  be- 
lieved him  to  be  a  servant  of  God.  When  the  murky  clouds  of 
prejudice,  and  the  blinding  mists  of  falsehood  and  superstition 
shall  have  passed  away,  the  character  and  work  of  Joseph  Smith 
will  appear  in  honor,  and  millions  will  revere  him  as  a  martyr! 

PRIMITIVE     GOSPEL. 

In  summing  up  we  find  that  in  his  religious  efforts  he  did  not 
introduce  "another  gospel,"  nor  "preach  another  Christ;"  but  he 
simply  preached  "him  of  whom  Moses  in  the  law  and  the  prophets 
did  write,  Jesus  of  Nazareth;"  and,  under  God,  he  restored  the 
very  gospel  taught  by  the  Saints  of  the  first  century  after  Christ, 
in  fulfillment  of  Rev.  14:  6,  7.  He  organized  the  church  after  the 
primitive  pattern,  and  set  in  order  the  ordinances,  rites,  and  cere- 
monies, as  they  were  in  the  apostolic  age.  He  proclaimed  the 
same  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  were  promised  by  Joel  2;  28,  29; 
by  the  Lord  Jesus,  Mark  16:  17,  18;  John  14:  26;  15:26;  16:7-11; 
by  Peter,  Acts  2:  38,  39,  and  Paul,  1  Cor.  12:  1-31;  14:  1-40,  etc. 

JOSEPH    PROPHESIED. 

He  prophesied  of  men  within  and  without  the  church;  of  events 
that  pertained  to  the  church  in  blessing  and  in  cursing;  of  events 
to  transpire  in  our  own  nation  and  in  the  nations  of  the  earth — of 


INSPIRED  TRANSLATION.  199 

wars,  famines,  pestilences,  plagues,  earthquakes,  destructions  and 
desolations;  of  the  waves  of  the  sea  heaving  themselves  beyond 
their  bounds;  of  the  rapid  increase  of  pride,  of  spiritual  iniquity, 
and  of  all  kinds  of  crime  and  wrong  doing.  He  prophesied  of 
"great  changes  in  the  times  and  the  seasons;"  and  of  the  great  incom- 
ing of  satanic  power,  and  the  rapid  spread  and  general  prevalence 
of  demon-spirit  power  among  the  nations.  He  prophesied  of  the 
"temptations  and  great  tribulation"  and  apostasy  of  the  Twelve; 
and  of  Brigham  Young,  that  "if  he  got  the  lead  of  the  church  he 
would  lead  it  to  hell."  He  prophesied  of  the  rebellion  of  the 
Southern  States;  of  their  calling  on  other  nations  for  aid  in  de- 
fense; of  the  slaves  being  "marshaled  and  disciplined  for  war;" 
and  of  the  Indians  becoming  exceedingly  angry,  of  their  marshal- 
ing themselves  and  vexing  the  Gentiles  with  a  sore  vexation;  also 
of  the  war  terminating  "in  the  death  and  misery  of  many  souls." 
He  also  prophesied  of  his  own  death,  of  the  manner  of  it,  and 
about  the  time  it  would  occur. 

[_  TRANSLATOR. 

He  translated  between  September  22d,  1827,  and  July,  1829,  a 
period  of  nearly  two  years,  the  Book  of  Mormon,  which  abounds 
in  historical  statements  relative  to  the  two  great  and  enlightened 
peoples  which  once  possessed  North,  and  South  and  Central 
America,  which  also  speaks  of  their  civilization  and  industries, 
and  of  the  locality  of  the  great  centers  of  their  skilled  and  culti- 
vated populations;  and  these  things,  highly  improbable  when  the 
young  seer  gave  the  Book  of  Mormon  to  the  world,  are  being  con- 
firmed by  scientific  travelers,  explorers,  and  antiquarians. 

This  same  book  abounds  with  prophecies  touching  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile, churches  and  nations,  priests  and  people; — of  Roman  Catholic, 
Protestant,  and  Latter  Day  Saints — of  their  corruptions,  their  evils, 
and  their  fate.  It  speaks  of  the  rapid  and  favorable  changes  that 
would  take  place  in  the  physical  condition  of  the  land  of  Judea 
soon  after  the  coming  forth  of  the  Book  of  Mormon — that  the  land 
which  was  given  by  the  oath  of  God  to  Abraham  and  to  his  seed 
forever,  should  be  turned  into  "a  fruitful  field."  It  speaks  of  the 
rapid  downfall  of  "the  mother  of  harlots"  soon  after  the  coming 
forth  of  "the  book,"  an  event  which  has  been  transpiring  since 
1848,  and  in  a  striking  manner  since  August  18th,  1870  when  the 
Pope  lost  all  temporal  rule  and  power.  It  speaks  also  of  the  work 
of  the  Lord  beginning  at  that  time  (1830)  for  the  restoration  of 
the  literal  seed  of  Israel  to  their  own  lands  of  promise,  and  of  the 
favor  and  honor  which  the  seed  of  Israel  would  receive  at  the 


200  THE  YOUNG  PROPHET. 

hands  of  the  Gentiles.  It  speaks  of  the  fact  that  the  ancient  civi- 
lizations of  America  were  built  up  by  two  separate  and  distinct 
peoples,  one  suceeding  the  other  in  dominion — -a  matter  largely 
agitated  by  antiquarians  and  travelers  of  late,  and  now  generally 
admitted — nations  differing  widely  in  their  language  and  their 
architecture.  It  tells  of  the  marvelous  wealth  of  the  land  in  gold 
and  silver  and  all  manner  of  mineral  products,  a  matter  of  which 
little  comparatively  was  known  till  long  since  the  coming  forth  of 
the  book.  Its  moral  teachings  and  influence  are  unsurpassed  in 
purity,  while  its  doctrines,  plainly  expressed,  and  embraced  in 
simple  forms  of  speech,  are  the  doctrines  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

INSPIRED    TRANSLATION. 

Besides  translating  the  Book  of  Mormon,  Mr.  Smith  revised, 
corrected  and  translated  the  Old  and  New  Testaments — or  portions 
of  them — restoring  much  that  had  been  lost  from  the  text,  and 
removing  from  the  text  many  things  of  a  hurtful  tendency  which 
had  been  added  by  uninspired  men.  In  this  translation,  in  the  first 
eleven  chapters,  is  furnished  the  easy  answer  to  the  question  now 
agitating  the  enlightened  world,  as  to  why,  among  all  the  leadin 
ancient  nations,  among  them  the  Mexicans  and  Peruvians,  an 
many  of  the  Pagan  nations  of  to-day,  we  find  nearly  all  the  leading 
religious  ideas  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  though  in  a 
mutilated  and  corrupted  form.  It  informs  us  that  the  creation,  the 
fall  of  man,  the  scheme  of  redemption  in  all  its  details,  the  punish- 
ment of  the  wicked,  the  rewards  of  the  righteous  and  the  glory  of 
the  redeemed,  were  all  revealed  and  taught  to  man  from  Adam 
down  to  Noah,  and  from  Noah  to  his  posterity,  thus  reaching 
down  to  the  tower  of  Babel  and  the  confusion  of  languages.  We 
can  readily  see,  on  reflection,  how  natural,  how  easy  and  certain 
it  was  that  these  wonderful  and  important  ideas  should  flow  out 
with  all  the  streams  of  emigration  from  the  Tower  to  all  parts  of 
the  world,  and  be  perpetuated  under  variously  corrupted  forms  as 
they  have  existed  in  the  past,  and  as  they  exist  to-day.  And  with 
this  view  of  the  matter  as  furnished  us  by  the  Inspired  Translation 
(as  also  by  the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  revelations  of  Joseph), 
we  can  see  why  it  is  that  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord  was,  and  is,  and  is 
to  be,  "the  Desire  of  all  nations"  (Hag.  2:7).  Every  movement 
of  the  wheels  of  time — every  important  change  among  the  nations 
or  among  religionists,  every  discovery  in  the  heavens  above  or  in 
the  earth  beneath,  every  hidden  thing  uncovered  and  every  secret 
thing  revealed,  the  revelations  and  miracle-wonders  of  "the 
spirits  of  devils,"  the  revelations  and  testimony  of  God's  Spirit  to 


JOSEPH'S  HISTORY.  201 

man — all  bear  witness,  directly  or  remotely,  to  the  important  and 
cheering  fact  that  God  has  spoken  from  the  heavens  in  these  latter 
days,  and  caused  his  "truth  to  spring  out  of  the  earth;"  and  that 
he  called  and  inspired  the  youth,  Joseph  Smith  (who  was  assassi- 
nated when  thirty-eight  years  old),  as  His  prophet,  seer,  revelator, 
and  translator,  whom  he  honored  in  the  founding  and  building  up 
of  His  church  and  kingdom,  preparatory  to  the  glorious  appearing 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  ushering  in  of  the  age  of  millen- 
nial glory.  And  to  these  facts  tens  of  thousands  of  honest,  rejoic- 
ing hearts  can  bear  truthful  testimony.  Joseph  Smith  was  a  pro- 
phet of  God,  and  every  effort  to  disprove  that  fact  only  makes  it 
the  more  apparent. 

JOSEPH'S  HISTORY. 

As  a  fitting  conclusion,  we  now  give  a  brief  extract  from  the 
History  of  Joseph  Smith  to  show  his  parentage;  also  when,  where, 
and  how  he  learned  of  his  call  to  the  work  of  God: 

"I  was  born  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1805,  on  the  23d  of  December,  in  the 
town  of  Sharon,  Windsor  county,  state  of  Vermont.  My  father,  Joseph 
Smith,  senior,  left  the  state  of  Vermont,  and  moved  to  Palmyra,  Ontario 
(now  Wayne)  county,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  when  I  was  in  my  tenth 
year.  In  about  four  years  after  my  father's  arrival  at  Palmyra,  he  moved 
with  his  family  into  Manchester,  in  the  same  county  of  Ontario.  His  family 
consisted  of  eleven  souls,  namely,  my  father,  Joseph  Smith,  my  mother,  Lucy- 
Smith,  (whose  name  previous  to  her  marriage  was  Mack,  daughter  of  Solo- 
mon Mack),  my  brothers,  Alvin,  (who  is  now  dead),  Hyrum,  myself,  Sam- 
uel Harrison,  William,  Don  Carlos,  and  my  sisters  Sophronia,  Catherine  and 
Lucy. 

"Some  time  in  the  second  year  after  our  removal  to  Manchester,  there  was, 
in  the  place  where  we  lived,"  an  unusual  excitement  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion. ...  I  was  at  this  time  in  my  fifteenth  year.  My  father's  family 
was  proselyted  to  the  Presbyterian  faith,  and  four  of  them  joined  that 
church,  namely,  my  mother,  Lucy;  my  brothers  Hyrum,  Samuel  Harrison, 
and  my  sister,  Sophronia. 

"During  this  time  of  great  excitement,  my  mind  was  called  up  to  serious 
reflection  and  great  uneasiness  ;  but,  though  my  feelings  were  deep  and  often 
pungent,  still  I  kept  myself  aloof  from  all  those  parties ;  though  I  attended 
their  several  meetings  as  often  as  occasion  would  permit. 

"While  I  was  laboring  under  the  extreme  difficulties  caused  by  the  con- 
tests of  these  parties  of  religionists,  I  was  one  day  reading  the  Epistle  of 
James,  first  chapter,  and  fifth  verse,  which  reads,  'If  any  of  you  lack  wis- 
dom, let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth  to  all  men  liberally,  and  upbraideth 
not;  and  it  shall  be  given  him.'  Never  did  any  passage  of  Scripture  come 
with  more  power  to  the  heart  of  man  than  this  did  at  this  time  to  mine.  It 
seemed  to  enter  with  great  force  into  every  feeling  of  my  heart.  I  reflected 
on  it  again  and  again,  knowing  that  if  an/person  needed  wisdom  from  God, 
I  did  ;  for  how  to  act  I  did  not  know,  and  unless  I  could  get  more  wisdom 
than  I  then  had,  would  never  know  ;  for  the  teachers  of  religion  of  the  dif- 
ferent sects  understood  the  same  passage  so  differently  as  to  destroy  all  con- 


202  JOSEPH'S  HISTORY. 

fidence  in  settling  the  question  by  an  appeal  to  the  Bible.  At  length  I  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  I  must  either  remain  in  darkness  and  confusion,  or 
else  I  must  do  as  James  directs,  that  is,  ask  of  God.  I  at  last  came  to  the  de- 
termination to  "ask  of  God,"  concluding  that  if  He  gave  wisdom  to  them 
that  lacked  wisdom,  and  would  give  liberally,  and  not  upbraid,  I  might  ven- 
ture. So,  in  accordance  with  this,  my  determination  to  ask  of  God,  I  retired 
to  the  woods  to  make  the  attempt.  It  was  on  the  morning  of  a  beautiful 
clear  day,  early  in  the  spring  of  1820.  It  was  the  first  time  in  my  life  that 
I  had  made  such  an  attempt  to  pray  vocally. 

"After  I  had  retired  into  the  place  where  I  had  previously  designed  to  go, 
.having  looked  around  me,  and  finding  myself  alone,  I  kneeled  down  and  be- 
gan to  offer  up  the  desires  of  my  heart  to  God.  I  had  scarcly  done  so,  when 
immediately  I  was  seized  upon  by  some  power  which  entirely  overcame  me 
und  had  such  astonishing  influence  over  me  as  to  bind  my  tongue  so  that  I 
could  not  speak.  Thick  darkness  gathered  around  me,  and  it  seemed  to  me 
for  a  time  as  if  I  were  doomed  to  sudden  destruction.  But — exerting  all  my 
powers  to  call  upon  God  to  deliver  me  out  of  the  power  of  this  enemy  which 
.had  seized  upon  me,  and  at  the  moment  when  I  was  ready  to  sink  into  des- 
pair and  abandon  myself  to  destruction  ;  not  to  an  imaginary  ruin,  but  to 
the  power  of  some  actual  being  from  the  unseen  world,  who  had  such  a 
marvellous  power  as  I  had  never  before  felt  in  any  being — just  at  this  mo- 
ment of  great  alarm,  I  saw  a  pillar  of  light  exactly  over  my  head,  above  the 
brightness  of  the  sun,  which  descended  gradually  until  it  fell  upon  me.  It 
no  sooner  appeared  than  I  found  myself  delivered  from  the  enemy  which 
lield  me  bound.  When  the  light  rested  upon  me  I  saw  two  personages, 
whose  brightness  and  glory  defy  all  description,  standing  above  me  in  .the 
air.  One  of  them  spake  unto  me,  calling  me  by  name,  and  said,  pointing  to 
the  other — 'This  is  my  beloved  son,  hear  him.' 

"My  object  in  going  to  inquire  of  the  Lord,  was  to  know  which  of  all  the 
sects  was  right,  that  I  might  know  which  to  join.  No  sooner,  therefore  did 
I  get  possession  of  myself,  so  as  to  be  able  to  speak,  than  I  asked  the  per- 
sonages who  stood  above  me  in  the  light  which  of  all  the  sects  was  right — 
for  at  this  time  it  had  never  entered  my  heart  that  all  v/ere  wrong — and 
which  I  should  join.  I  was  answered  that  I  must  join  none  of  them,  for 
they  were  all  wrong,  and  the  personage  who  addressed  me  said  that  all 
their  creeds  were  an  abomination  in  his  sight ;  that  those  professors  were  all 
corrupt ;  'they  draw  near  to  me  with  their  lips,  but  their  hearts  are  far  from 
me;  they  teach  for  doctrine,  the  commandments  of  men  ;  having  a  form  of 
godliness,  but  they  deny  the  power  thereof.'  He  again  forbade  me  to  join 
with  any  of  them  ;  and  many  other  things  did  he  say  unto  me,  which  I  can 
not  write  at  this  time. 

"When  I  came  to  myself  again,  I  found  myself  lying  on  my  back,  looking 
up  into  heaven.  ...  It  caused  me  serious  reflection  then,  and  often  has 
since,  how  very  strange  it  was  that  an  obscure  boy,  of  a  little  over  fourteen 
years  of  age,  "and  one,  too,  who  was  doomed  to  the  necessity  of  obtain- 
ing a  scanty  maintenance  by  his  daily  labor,  should  be  thought  a  character 
of  sufficient  importance  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  great  ones  of  the  most 
popular  sects  of  the  day,  so  as  to  create  in  them  a  spirit  of  the  hottest  per- 
secution and  reviling.  But,  strange  or  not,  so  it  was,  and  was  often  cause  of 
great  sorrow  to  myself.  However,  it  was  nevertheless  a  fact  that  I  had  had 
a  vision.  I  have  thought  since  that  I  felt  much  like  Paul,  when  he  made 
Iris  defense  before  king  Agrippa  and  related  the  account  of  the  vision  he 
liad  when  he  'saw  a  light,  and  heard  a  voice ;'  but  still  there  were  but  few 


JOSEPH'S  HISTORY.  203 

who  believecj  him  ;  some  said  he  was  dishonest,  others  said  he  was  mad ; 
and  he  was  ridiculed  and  reviled  ;  but  all  this  did  not  destroy  the  reality  of 
his  vision.  He  had  seen  a  vision,  he  knew  he  had,  and  all  the  persecution 
under  heaven  could  not  make  it  otherwise ;  and  though  they  should  perse- 
cute him  unto  death,  yet  he  knew,  and  would  know  unto  his  latest  breath, 
that  he  had  both  seen  a  light  and  heard  a  voice  speaking  to  him,  and  all  the 
world  could  not  make  him  believe  otherwise.  So  it  was  with  me,  I  had  ac- 
tually seen  a  light,  and  in  the  midst  of  that  light  I  saw  two  personages,  and 
they  did  in  reality  speak  unto  me,  or  one  of  them  did ;  and  though  I  was 
hated  and  persecuted  for  saying  that  I  had  seen  a  vision,  yet  it  was  true.  . 
.  .  I  continued  to  pursue  my  common  avocations  in  life  until  the  21st  of 
September,  1823,  all  the  time  suffering  severe  persecution  at  the  hands  of  all 
classes  of  men,  both  religious  and  irreligious,  because  I  continued  to  affirm 
that  I  had  seen  a  vision. 

"During  the  space  of  time  which  intervened  between  the  time  I  had  the 
vision,  and  the  year  1823, — having  been  forbidden  to  join  any  of  the  reli- 
gious sects  of  the  day,  and  being  of  very  tender  years,  and  persecuted  by 
those  who  ought  to  have  been  my  friends,  and  to  have  treated  me  kindly, 
and  if  they  supposed  me  to  be  deluded,  to  have  endeavored  in  a  proper  and 
affectionate  manner  to  have  reclaimed  me — I  was  left  to  all  kinds  of  temp- 
tations ;  and  mingliug  with  all  kinds  of  society,  I  frequently  fell  into  many 
foolish  errors,  and  displayed  the  weakness  of  youth,  and  the  corruption  of 
human  nature  ;  which,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  led  me  into  divers  temptations,  to 
the  gratification  of  many  appetites  offensive  in  the  sight  of  God.  In  con- 
sequence of  these  things,  I  often  felt  condemned  for  my  weakness  and  im- 
perfections ;  when,  on  the  evening  of  the  above-mentioned  21st  of  Septem- 
ber, after  I  had  retired  to  my  bed  for  the  night,  I  betook  myself  to  prayer 
and  supplication  to  Almighty  God,  for  forgiveness  of  all  my  sins  and  follies, 
and  also  for  a  manifestation  to  me,  that  I  might  know  of  my  state  and  stand- 
ing before  Him  ;  for  I  had  full  confidence  in  obtaining  a  divine  manifestation, 
as  I  had  previously  had  one. 

"While  I  was  thus  in  the  act  of  calling  upon  God,  I  discovered  a  light  ap- 
pearing in  the  room,  which  continued  to  increase  until  the  room  was  lighter 
than  at  noonday,  when  immediately  a  personage  appeared  at  my  bedside 
.standing  in  the  air,  for  his  feet  did  not  touch  the  floor.  He  had  on  a  loose 
robe  of  most  exquisite  whiteness.  It  was  a  whiteness  beyond  anything 
earthly  I  had  ever  seen ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  any  earthly  thing  could  be 
made  to  appear  so  exceedingly  white  and  brilliant ;  his  hands  were  naked 
and  his  arms  also  a  little  above  the  wrists  ;  so,  also,  were  his  feet  naked,  as 
were  his  legs  a  little  above  the  ankles.  His  head  and  neck  were  also  bare. 
I  could  discover  that  he  had  no  other  clothing  on  but  this  robe,  as  it  was 
open  so  that  I  could  see  into  his  bosom.  Not  only  was  his  robe  exceedingly 
white,  but  his  whole  person  was  glorious  beyond  description,  and  his  coun- 
tenance truly  like  lightning.  The  room  was  exceedingly  light,  but  not  so 
very  bright  as  immediately  around  his  person.  When  I  first  looked 
upon  him  I  was  afraid ;  but  the  fear  soon  left  me.  He  called  me  by  name, 
and  said  unto  m<-  that  he  was  a  messenger  sent  from  the  presence  of  God  to 
me,  and  that  his  name  was  Moroni ;  that  God  had  a  work  for  me  to  do ;  and 
that  my  name  should  be  had  for  good  and  evil  among  all  nations,  kindreds 
and  tongues,  or  that  it  should  be  both  good  and  evil  spoken  of  among  all 
people.  He  said  there  was  a  book  deposited,  written  upon  gold  plates,  giv- 
ing an  account  of  the  former  inhabitants  of  this  continent  and  the  source 
from  whence  they  sprang.  He  also  said  that  the  fulness  of  the  everlasting 


204  JOSEPH'S  HISTORY. 

^ 

gospel  was  contained  in  it,  as  delivered  by  the  Savior  to  the  ancient  inhabit- 
ants ;  also,  that  there  were  two  stones  in  silver  bows — and  these  stones, 
fastened  to  a  breastplate,  constituted  what  is  called  the  urim  and  thummim 
— deposited  with  the  plates ;  and  the  possession  and  use  of  these  stones  were 
what  constituted  seers  in  ancient  or  former  times  ;  and  that  God  had  pre- 
pared them  for  the  purpose  of  translating  the  book. 

"After  telling  me  these  things  he  commenced  quoting  the  prophecies  of 
the  old  Testament.  He  first  quoted  part  of  the  third  chapter  of  Malachi,  and 
he  quoted  also  the  fourth  or  last  chapter  of  the  same  prophecy,  though  with 
a  little  variation  from  the  way  it  reads  in  our  Bible.  Instead  of  quoting  the 
first  verse  as  it  reads  in  our  books,  he  quoted  it  thus :  'For  behold,  the  day 
cometh  that  shall  burn  as  an  oven,  and  all  the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do 
wickedly  shall  burn- as  stubble ;  for  they  that  come  shall  burn  them,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch/  And  again, 
he  quoted  the  fifth  verse  thus :  'Behold,  I  will  reveal  unto  you  the  priest- 
hood, by  the  hand  of  Elijah  the  Prophet,  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and 
dreadful  day  of  the  Lord  '  He  also  quoted  the  next  verse  differently: — 'And 
he  shall  plant  in  the  hearts  of  the  children  the  promises  made  to  the  fathers, 
and  the  hearts  of  the  children  shall  turn  to  their  fathers;  if  it  were  not  so, 
the  whole  earth  would  be  utterly  wasted  at  its  coming.'  In  addition  to 
these,  he  quoted  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Isaiah,  saying  that  it  was  about  to 
be  fulfilled.  He  quoted  also  the  third  chapter  of  Acts,  twenty-second  and 
twenty-third  verses,  precisely  as  they  stand  in  our  New  Testament.  He  said 
that  that  prophet  was  Christ;  but  the  day  had  not  yet  come  when  'they 
who  would  not  hear  his  voice,  should  be  cut  off  from  among  the  people,'  but 
soon  would  come. 

"He  also  quoted  the  second  chapter  of  Joel,  from  the  twenty-eighth  verse 
to  the  last.  He  also  said  that  this  was  not  yet  fulfilled,  but  was  soon  to  be. 
And  he  further  stated  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  was  soon  to  come  in.  He 
quoted  many  other  passages  of  Scripture,  and  offered  many  other  explana- 
tions which  can  not  be  mentioned  here.  Again,  he  told  me  that  when  I  got 
those  plates  of  which  he  had  spoken — for  the  time  that  they  should  be  ob- 
tained was  not  then  fulfilled — I  should  not  show  them  to  any  person ; 
neither  the  breastplate  with  the  urim  and  thummim ;  only  to"  those  to 
whom  I  should  be  commanded  to  show  them  ;  if  I  did  I  should  be  destroyed. 
While  he  was  conversing  with  me  about  the  plates,  the  vision  was  opened 
to  my  mind  that  I  could  see  the  place  where  the  plates  were  deposited,  and 
that  so  clearly  and  distinctly  that  I  knew  the  place  again  when  I  visited  it.'' 


205 


INDEX. 


Adam — Michael,  an  Angel 90 

American  Antiquities 145,  153,  158 

Apocyrpha 84 

Apostasy  of  Latter  Day  Saints 171,  173 

Authority 95 

Baptism 48,  50,  51,  82,  83,  135,  147 

"       Children 83 

"      For  the  Dead 147 

"       Object  of 52,  81 

"       Of  Ancient  Date 49,  82 

"       Mode  of 51,135 

Bible  and  Book  of  Mormon  Compared 36,  128 

Bible  Defects  in  History 7,  27,  33,  86,  135 

"     Imitation 98 

"     Miracles  vs.  Those  Now 141 

"     More  Truth  Than  it  Alone 55 

Book  of  Lehi 78 

Book  of  Mormon  Brought  Forth 198 

Book  of  Mormon,  Coming  forth  of 150 

"       '       u         Historical  Errors  Possible 6 

"  "         Morals  and  Theology 171 

•'  "         Not  Found  by  a  Gentile 173 

"         Prophecies  of 167,174 

Christ's  Appearing  Before  His  Birth  and  After  His  Resurrection 17-20 

"         Birth,  Place  of , 12 

"      Time  of 8,  135 

"         Crucifixion,  Time  of 7,  165 

"         Genealogy  46 

"        Second  Coming 17 

Christian  Doctrine  Among  the  Heathen 49 

"         Name  of 22 

Christians  Not  All  Priests 58 

Chronology 9 

Church  Organization 173, 191, 197,  198 

Cities  Sunk  at  Time  of  Crucifixion  .  . .  163 


206  INDEX. 

Compass 145 

Confusion  of  Languages 130 

Consciousness  After  Death 106 

Covenant  Breaking 87 

Cross 163 

Criticism  on  Mormonism  Invited : 5 

Defects— Scripture 27 

Destruction  of  Jaredites  and  Lamanites 129,  142 

Directors 31,  143 

Doctrine  of  Christ 191 

Egyptian  Art  in  Peru  and  Mexico 159 

"         Reformed 138 

Elias— Gabriel 99,  123 

Endless  Punishment 148 

Errors  in  Book  of  Mormon  History  Possible 6 

"       in  Bible 7,  27,  33,  86,  135 

Fathers — two 47 

Feet  Washing 88 

Finder  of  Book  of  Mormon  Not  a  Gentile 173 

Fossil  Remains 164 

Free  the  Slaves 195-197 

Gathering 131,  168 

Generation,  What  Constitutes -. . .  7 Y 

Genesis — Who  Wrote 81 

Gift— first 97 

Grammar,  Joseph's 37,  40 

Hell 115,  122 

Horse 166 

Inspiration,  Degrees  of 41 

Inspired  Translation 35,  42,  80,  128.  134,  200,  201 

Interpreters 28,  31,  32,  34,  86,  94,  141,  142 

Jaredites,  Destruction  of 129,  144 

"          Longevity  of 127 

Jaredite  Kings 128 

John  the  Baptist  Resurrected 63 

"       a  Priest 54 

"     Apostle,  Priest 60 

John  the  Evangelist  to  Tarry 89- 

Joseph's  Land 162 

Joseph  and  Oliver's  Ordination 52,  65- 

Joseph  as  a  Translator  and  Prophet 6,  94,  125 

Joseph's  Ministry  and  Writings 191,  195> 

Joseph  Prophesied 198,  199- 


INDEX.  207 

Joseph's  Prophecies  Fulfilled:  181 

«  "  "          Brighamite  Apostasy 192 

«  "  "  Famines 182,185 

"  »  "          His  Own  Death 192 

«  "  "          Persecution  of  Saints 188,  191 

»  "  u          Pestilences  and  Scourges 177,178- 

11  "  "          Slaves  Marshaled  for  War 183 

"  "  "          Spiritualism 189-191 

»  "  u          Wars,  Foreign 182,184 

"  «  "  "       Indian 184 

"  "  "          War  of  Rebellion 184 

."  "  "          Waves  of  the  Sea 182" 

Joseph's  Seed 195 

Laban  Killed 133 

Lamanites,  Destruction  of 129,  142- 

Land  of  Joseph 162 

Language — Change 26,  132,  161 

Longevity,  Jaredite 127 

Nephite 144 

Man  of  Sin 193 

Miracles 143,  175 

More  Truth 55 

"Mormon,"  Word 84 

Mulek,  Son  of  Zedekiah 140 

National  Bank 197 

Nephi,  a  King 124 

"      Builds  a  Temple 1 24 

Nephites,  Destruction  of 129,  142 

u         Longevity 144 

"         Numbers  of 125,  126 

"         Perpetuated 132 

New  Jerusalem 75 

No  Variableness 20 

Oliver,  to  Translate 138 

Omissions 30 

Ordinations,  Joseph  and  Oliver 52,  64,  137' 

Organization  of  the  Church 176,  191 

Page,  Hiram 136 

Papacy,  Fall  of,  Foretold 165 

People  of  Zarahemla 24 

"      Two *45 

Plagiarism,  Charge  of,  Refuted 20,  81,  96,  130 

Plates  of  Book  of  Mormon 23,  27,  28,  68,  71,  100,  139,  147,  152: 


208  INDEX. 

Polygamy  Not  Joseph's  Doctrine 115 

Pre-existence 19,  43 

Priesthood,  Aaronic 16,  S3,  56,  59,  63 

"  Melchisedek 13,  55,  59,  62,  137 

Primitive  Gospel    198 

Printing  House 84 

Prophecies  of  Book  of  Mormon   165,  168 

of  Joseph 118,  193 

Eeign,  Long 129 

"Relics11 155,  166 

Eeformed  Egyptian 138 

Second  Coming  of  Christ ,    11 

"Seventy  Weeks"  of  Daniel 9 

Sheol 122 

Sons  of  Levi 53 

Soul  of  Man 41,  94,  108 

Spaulding 174 

Spiritual  Creation 43 

Gifts 192 

Spirits 113-125 

Stone, — Hiram  Page 135 

Temple 126 

Testimony  of  Cowdery,  "Whitmer  and  Harris 71,  99,  135,  137 

Three  and  Eight  Witnesses 99 

Three  Glories 92,  149 

"      Nephites 24 

Tithes 15 

Translator 199,  200 

"          Joseph  as  a 6,  85,  96 

"          Responsible  Only  for  the  Faithfulness  of  His  Work 6 

Truth,  All,  Harmonious 176 

Try  the  Spirits 194 

Urim  and  Thummim 3],  95 

Witnesses,  Three  and  Eight 100 

Zarahemlaites   .v 25 

Zend  Avesta 21 

Zion  Not  Removed..  ..133 


